The Other Brother
by wyfan64
Summary: This be the story of the older brother of Harry Potter, the brother he never knew about, and how it came to be they both end out at Hogwarts together
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Going to Hogwarts**

_As I lay on the ground, very quiet and still, the young buck moves ever closer to where I am. The wind is in my favor, because if it wasn't, my dinner would be my brother Dalton's dinner. I can pick up Dalton's scent about 250 yards due North of me. He is just mad with me right now because he has to push the buck to me, seeing as I was the one who picked up the scent of the buck first. As the buck moves closer, I fear my damn tail will give me away because it just won't quit wagging. It not often we get deer here at Stonecastle. We normally have to be content with rabbits and squirrels because of what we are. Wildlife seem to have a knack of avoiding us and our property. Every so often though, we get a stray deer to come onto our land._

_As I get ready to pounce on the deer now that it is close enough for me to land on him, a howl pierces the silence and the deer flees, thankful to be able to live another day. My brother Dalton, his girlfriend/wife/mate (one of them titles depending on who you ask and the mood that either one of them are in) Teri, my other brother Nicolas, and my uncle Anthony come sulking back to where I am standing, listening for another howl I know to be coming. As if on cue, the second howl rips through the night air, calling us back to the house, the house that has been my home for the past 14 1/2 years._

_After a short,quick grunt to the others, we return to our destinated spot to change back and gather our belongings to return to the house to find out what the hell was going on. A few minutes later, I walk out of the woods fully dressed and am greeted by Nicolas._

_"Awww man, that deer was looking good and now I am really hungry. Wonder what Jason wants." Nic says to me._

_" I don't know, but he is gonna owe us big time for this. We have been planning this hunt for the past week and now something comes up and we don't get our hunt? That not like Jay to do that to us." I tell him. "Jay never calls us when we are hunting unless something big has come up and it cann't wait."_

_"Whoa! Catch that scent will ya." Nick exclaimed as I got closer to the back porch. As I got closer, I picked up on four new scents. Two of the scents I am for sure about because I am around them often. One of the scents is one that I wished I didn't know and the fourth scent I just didn't know it. My "dad" Jason, meets me at the back porch and the look on his face says it all, I am not gonna like what he is gonna say._

_"One, everyone but Alex stays outside until this meeting is over. Two, Alex just know that I am doing everything I can to get you to stay here and not have to go to Britian. Third, I had no clue that they were coming tonight, much less coming at all." Jason says to all of us as we gathered on the back porch._

_With a brief nod, I walk through the back door to greet the four new comers to my family home._

**3 months later:**

"Alex, if there is anything you need, please dont wait to send me an owl. I will try and stay as close as I can as much as possible. There will be the few nights a month that I will be out of contact with due to the full moon. Dumbledore is a good man and great Headmaster. He will provide extra protection if you need it."

"Oh come on Mooney, you know as well as I do that I don't need protection. I can protect myself. I am stronger and faster than ever and getting more everyday." Alex told Remus Lupin.

"It not you that needs protection Alex. Dumbledore needs you for the protection. He needs you to do the protecting. Now that Voldemort is back, Harry is gonna need all the protection he can get, whether he likes it or not." Remus stated. "Look at it this way, not only will I be around when I can, but Dumbledore and the staff at Hogwarts and other members of the Order will be there to lend a hand if you need it or if it gets to be too much for you."

"But why me Moon?" Ales asked. "Why am I all of a sudden needed to protect the great Harry Potter?"

"Because Alex," Remus said in a low voice, "Besides the Dursley's, you are Harry's only family, even if Harry don't know about you. Which reminds me, Dumbledore wants it kept a secret that the two of you are in fact brothers. If Voldemort was to find out that you were alive, there would be a target on you as well."

"Who..." Alex started to say. "Who is that? That has got to be the finest, most gorgeous girl I have ever seen. Damn Moon, I really need to see if Jay will consider letting me stay here. I mean, so the Pack can run things here as well. Plus, it would save Tony and Nic tons on air fare."

Remus laughed as he saw the reason for Alex's excitement. "MOLLY! ARTHUR! Good to see you all here. Been waiting for you." Remus called out. "Let me introduce you to Alex Staggs. He is a transfer student from the United States. Dumbledore asked me to make sure Alex made it to the train alright. Alex, please meet Arthur and Molly Weasley. Thy are very dear friends of mine."

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Weasley." Alex said, shaking their hands and not taking his eyes off the red-headed girl standing next to Molly Weasley. "And who might this be if I may ask Moon?"

"This young lady, Alex, is Molly and Arthur's daughter Ginnerva Weasley. And behind her, are three of her older brothers, Ron and the twins, Fred and George." Remus said.

"Watch out for the twins, Alex." Remus whispered so only ALex could hear. "They love to prank people."

Alex shook the twin's hands eargerly. "Remind me to stay away from the two of you during school. Don't want to get the two of you into too much trouble." Alex said laughingly to the older Weasley brothers. "Trust me, I can and will make the two of you look like angels when it comes to pranks."

"And who might these other two might be Moon?" Alex asked, looking at the brown headed girl and the Black haired boy with glasses.

"This young lady is Hermione Granger." Remus told him, introducing Alex to Hermione.

"Hello Alex, so nice to meet you." Hermione said, shaking his hand.

"Yes, pleasure meeting you too Miss. Granger." Alex replied back.

"And this young man, ALex, is Harry Potter."

Alex spun around on spot and exclaimed. "You have got to be kidding me! The Harry Potter? The infamous Harry Potter? Wow. You know, we do know who you are in the States kid. Glad to see that you're still alive and Voldemort hasn't kicked your ass yet."

"ALEX!" Remus said loudly.

"What? Was just saying that I was surprised he hasn't been done in yet, seeing as he still a kid and all." Alex said, defending his actions.

"A word with you in private." the old werewolf growled, grabbing the younger werewolf by the arm and pulling him to side away from everyone else.

"What! What I do?" Alex asked as soon as they were out of earshot. "I was just saying that..."

"Alex listen to me please. It is very very important that not a word is said as to why you are really here, much less who and what you are. You are here to protect your brother at all cost and he is not to know of the family ties." Remus told him.

"Alright, alright. No more wise cracks like that and no letting on who and what I am." Alex promised. "Relax old man, everything will be ok."

"So, how long before this train leav..." Alex started to say before he was knocked to the ground by some strong force to the back.

Alex let out a yelp and a furious growl as he flipped his attacker off his back and onto his chest. Nic sat in Alex's chest, laughing uproarioiusly. "Little brother, you really need to remember your training and keep them eyes open for attackers. I mean, we wouldn't want anything to happen to that pretty little face of yours, do we?"

"Nic, get off your brother before he snaps. Don't need him to shed blood his first day of school." Jason said as he walked over and helped pull Alex to his feet. "Just wanted to come and see you off to this new school." Jason answered before Alex could get the question out.

"Uhhh, ok. I was doing ok with Mooney though. Wait! Did all of you come or is it just the two of you that made the trip?" Alex asked.

"What and let you have all the fun, I don't think so." Dalton said as he stepped from the shadowy corner he had been standing in. "We all came to see you off."

Alex smiled the biggest grin. "Now that makes me feel great. No worries though guys. I'll be on my best behavior." he said with a side glance towards Ginny. "Absolute BEST behavior."

"Riiiiiiight. If your present company has anything to do with that best behavior, Remus is gonna be flooding the house with owls, telling us of all the NON trouble you haven't caused." Tony said laughing.

"if anything, maybe he will finally get his furry ass lucky with a certain good looking red-head." Nic said in a low voice, low enough for only Jason and Tony to hear.

"Alright gang, 15 minutes to get the kid on the train and off to school. Cann't have him being late his first day.: Jason said after Remus ran through the introductions again. "Alex, if you need anything, let me know through Remus or Albus. Both know how to reach me if need be."

Remus walked Alex and the others through the barrier to the platform where the Hogwarts Express sat waiting to leave. Alex stood there in complete awe over the maroon and black steam engine. He was completely taken away by its beauty, he never heard the others calling to him unitl he felt a soft gentle touch of the hand on his arm.

"Come on Alex, we need to get on before it leaves without us." Ginny said as she took him by the arm and lead the way to the train. "it's almost time."

With one final glance back at Remus and the Pack, Alex boarded the train headed to Hogwarts.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Train Rides, New School and Sorting**

Alex walked up and down the corridor of the train, looking for a spot to sit. All of the compartments were filled to the max. As hard as he might have tried, Alex couldn't help but smile to himself. This was gonna be an interesting year to say the least. One of the things he loved most about who and what he was, was the enhanced hearing. Even with all the whispers, he could hear the talks as if he was standing right next to the person.

"Alex, come sit with us if you want." A voice said from behind him. Alex turned around to find Hermione standing in the door way of the compartment her, Ron, and Harry were sharing.

"Sure. Thanks a bunch. Everywhere else is pretty full and I not really big on huge crowds either." Alex replied as he entered the compartment.

Harry moved closer to the window to let Alex sit down on the seat. "Enjoying yourself so far?" Harry asked.

"Oh yeah. Barrels and barrels of monkeys of fun." Alex said laughing, as the three teenagers looked at him curiously. "What? Don't tell me you have never heard that expression before. I was trying to be sarcastic is all. Actually, truth be told, I am really excited about being here."

"So Alex, tell us about yourself. Why are you coming to Hogwarts now? Where did you go to school before coming here? What is it like where your from? Does your girlfriend have a problem with you being so far away?" Hermione asked all in one breath.

Alex threw his head back and let out a bark of a laugh. "Slow down there Granger, one question at a time please. There are some things about myself that I can not tell you but I will tell you what I can, so please understand that. Consider it for not only my safety but your safelty as well. First of all, I was raised in the States after my mom and stepdad were killed. I was in fact born in Jolly Ol London." Alex said laughing and with a British accent.

"Second, I was transferred here from Salem Academy in upstate Masachusetts. I got into some trouble there and had to leave. Seems like no one there likes a good prank. Third, all depends on what part of America you are in. I mean, one place can be absolutly beautiful and breathe-taking, then you go a few hundred miles if that and be in a total dump. All depends really on where you are at. Stone Creek in upstate New York, where I live, I think is the most beautiful place ever. Hundreds of acres of wooden land, a massive three-story mansion, all the freedom I could want or need. Yep, I honestly believe Stone Creek is the best." Alex said to the trio sitting before him, hanging onto his words. "Before I answer your next question Miss Granger, Ron I do believe your sister is on her way to our compartment."

"What? How can you know that? She five compartments down." Ron asked questionably.

Before Alex could answer, the door to the compartment opened and Ginny Weasley stepped in and sat down next to Hermione.

"Bloody hell!" Ron and Harry both exclaimed at the same time.

"Ok mate, how did you do that?" Ron asked Alex.

Alex laid his head on the back of his seat, grinning ear to ear, "Cann't say but comes with the package."

Hermione and Ginny laughed at the shocked and confused look on the best friends faces. "Awwww, what wrong boys, afraid of a little competition from the new guy?" Ginny asked them.

Alex shook his head and sat back up in his seat, "so back to your questions Granger. I do believe I owe you one more answer. That answer being I don't know. I don't have a girlfriend at this moment. You know," Alex said standing up, "I have no no clue as to why I don't have a girlfriend. I mean come on, look at me. What girl wouldn't want to fall for this." Alex held his arms out and slowly turned around. "Almost six foot tall, devilish good looks, blonde hair, emerald green eyes, and a body of pure massive muscle. I have the body of a God." Alex added laughingly.

"Muscle? What muscle? All I see is a guy who thinks he is top shit and his arse don't stink." Ginny retorted. "Besides, cann't see anything through clothes. Clothes are decieving. They only make you look bigger than you really are."

With a wicked grin on his face, Alex challenged her with his response, "You wanna see the proof for yourself then? I will. I will show you I not making it up"

"I dare you!" Ginny responded back, with a sly grin on her face as well, while her brother, Harry and Hermione all sat back watching the banter between the two.

"Ron, Harry, the two of you might want to turn away. This might get to be too much for the two of you. Hermione, you by all means may watch." Alex said as he started to remove his new robes and placing them neatly on the seat in which he was just sitting in. Standing directly in front of Ginny, Alex untucked and unbuttoned his long sleeve white dress shirt, revealing a white wife-beater tank top underneath. After placing the shirt with his robes, Alex turned and stepped in front of Ginny again.

"Pure muscle." he whipsered in to her ear as he leaned forwards.

"Oh my." Hermione gasped.

"Well Miss Weasley, did my clothes lie about my build?" Alex asked her as he straightened back up.

"Umm, umm. Well no, I guess not." She said in a quiet voice. "How?"

"How? I work out alot. I do a lot of running and lifting weights. I know alot of guys get this way by use of drugs and other muscle enhancemants but not I. I do things the old fashioned way, working out. I get more pleasure out of running and hitting the punching bag more than anything." he told her as she stood before him, wanting to touch his very much chiseled body but not sure if it was safe.

Noticing the look in Ginny's eyes, he took a small step towards her and whispered into her ear so she was the only one who could hear, "Go ahead, I won't bite. Touch, feel, grope, I don't care. Get your feel."

Ginny ran her fingers down his arms, feeling his muscles twitch at her touch. As she go to his left arm, she stopped and withdrew her hand. There, running across his left shoulder and all down the left side of his body, was a massive scar. Ginny just stood there staring at the ugle massive scar until her brother's voice brought her out of her trance she found herself in.

"OYE! PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON IN FRONT OF MY SISTER!"

"Easy Ron, I was just proving your sister wrong is all. No harm, no foul mate." Alex said as he put his shirt and robes back on.

"Alex, what happened to you left arm, It looks pretty bad." Harry asked him after he retook his seat.

"Got that when I was about 2 1/2 years old." Alex told him and the others. "It was an attack on me and my family that only I survived. I was rescued by a family friend and taken to Jason, the guy you guys met at the station. He took me in and cared for me. He become like my step-dad after it all happened. I try not to talk about it very much because it brings back the nightmares from that night.

"Oh Alex, I am so sorry. It must be hard on you with that kind of reminder all the time. We won't bring it up again if you like." Hermione said with tears in her eyes.

"So, how long till we get to the school, because I am starving." Alex asked, trying to change the subject.

"It shouldn't be much longer." Ginny told him as he turned his gaze out the window. "So tell us about your school you came from. What is it like there?

"Well, it like any other school I guess. Salem has been the only school I have ever been to. Ever since I was about four or five, I could do stuff that no one else in my family could do. Then when I was about six or seven, I get this weird letter in the mail saying that I was accepted to this private school that specialized in kids with my type of ablilties. I was going there up until mid last year. Me and a good friend of mine got into some trouble and instead of giving us a warning, we both got kicked out. Jason, or Jay as I call him, wasn't too happy about it because then he had to keep me home. He didn't have the slightest idea what to do with me. Jay got ahold of Remus and explained to him what was going on, then the next thing I know, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Mooney, and the Salem Headmaster are all at Stonecastle having a meeting about my schooling." Alex told them, omitting the fact that his biological father was at the meeting as well.

_That is one secret I will take to the damn grave. I don't want anyone to know that I am related to him. It gonna be tough having to see him every day now at Hogwarts, but I will deal with it. He just better not get in my way or TRY and be a father to me now cause I will so knock him off that high horse he has been sitting on. _Alex thought to himself as he thought back to the meeting and the true reason why Jason didn't want him to go to Hogwarts.

Jason, god bless him, tried to talk Dumbledore out of it but he could understand why Dumbledore wanted both brothers together. The war in Britain was heating up now that the Dark Lord had made his return last year and Dumbledore knew Harry's life was about to be cut short. He just didn't know when. He wanted the brothers to meet an dget to know each other before that happened. Dumbledore also wanted Alex to try and get to know his father as well. _Not gonna happen if I have anything to do with it._

"The school it self is huge. Hard to discribe how big it is." Alex added.

"What kind of spells and charms did they teach you?" asked Herimone.

"Umm, your basic spells and charms I suppose. Blocking and attacking spells for combat, apperance changing spells to change your looks so no one will recognize you. All sorts of spells." Alex said.

"They teach you how to change your appearance?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. Here watch." Alex answered back. Alex raised his bare hand, thought of the look he wanted and passed his hand across his face starting at the top of his head to the middle of his chest. As his hand passed over his face, his hair grew out to his shoulder, changed from blonde to jet black, his clean shaven face now sporting a goatee and mustache. "The only thing I cann't change is my scars. I have tried believe me."

"That was bloody wicked!" Ron exclaimed. "Never knew someone who could do that that well and not mess up. And with no wand. HEY! Where's your wand at?"

"My what?" Alex asked.

"Your wand Alex. Where is your wand." Herminone repeated. She pulled out her wand and showed Alex her wand. "You need a wand to perform spells and charms. Everyone has to have one at Hogwarts."

"WOW! You performed wandless magic. Not many people can do that much less have strong enough magical powers to do it. It takes alot of strength." Ginny added.

"Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that you guys are dependant on a twig? You were never taught to use your powers without a crutch? This is sad, really sad." Alex said. "We were and have been taught since the day we get to Salem, how to control our powers and do our stuff crutch free. We were also taught that using a "wand" as you guys call them, was a sign of weakness and that you are not confident enough to put enough strength into your work."

Alex waved his hand in front of his face again and changed his appearance back to the short messed up blonde cut and clean shaven face.

"That is really amazing Alex. Really it is." Hermione told him.

"What were the houses like?" Ron asked again.

"The houses?" Alex asked puzzled.

"You know, your house that seperates you from the others. Hogwarts has four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. All four houses were named after the four founders of the school. We're all in Gryffindor and our house colors is marron and gold. The three of us, minus Hermione, play on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. You do know what Quidditch is, right?" Ginny replied.

"Quidditch? You guys have quidditch here too! AWESOME!" Alex exclaimed. "Finally something that both schools have in common. I think I would have been lost if there wasn't gonna be a team for me to play on. Jay and the rest of my family would always come to the school to watch me play. Been playing for the three years and went undefeated all three years. Salem also won the Regional title for the past two years as well."

"Whoa mate. That is really impressive." Harry said. "I've been the Gryffindor Seeker for the past five years now, Ginny has been one of our chasers since last year, and Ron just started last year as well as Keeper. What position do you play?"

"Umm, well, I was Seeker as well. I could have went for being a chaser or a beater, but since no one else tried for seeker, I took it. I don't care really what position I play as long as I can fly and feel the wind rushing past me. That all I want." Alex told Harry when he saw the terrified look on his brothers face when he told him he played seeker.

_He's afraid I'm gonna take his spot on the team. I would never do that to him. I've heard of his flying skills from the Tri-Wizard Tournament last year when he took on that dragon. That why I said I would play any other spot just os he can have his seeker position. Besides this way, I can keep an eye on him that way and not having to worry about looking for the snitch. _Alex thought to himself.

As the train rolled on, Alex got to know the four friends a little more and he shared a little bit more information about Salem Academy. The more they all talked, the faster time went by before the next thing they realized was the train was slowing down. The five teenagers had already changed into their school robes and were eagerly awaiting for the train to come to a complete stop.

Alex helped load the girl's trunks onto the platform and headed to the carriages to up to the castle. Alex sat near the carriage door, scanning the dark for unwanted visitors. He had to smile to himself when he picked up a familiar scent and he knew then that his first night at Hogwarts was indeed gonna be interesting.

As the group approached the castle doors, the Charms teacher, Professor Flitwick was there to meet Alex at the door. "Sorry to break up this happy band of friends, but Mr. Staggs I am to take you to the Headmaster's office as soon as you arrived. The Headmaster wishes to speak with you before the feast begins."

"Uhh, sure. I'll see you guys in a few then." Alex told the group. "Lead the way Professor."

Alex turned and followed the short professor into the school and down the corridor. "So how come you get to be my escort tonight, instead of the Headmaster himself?"

"Professor Dumbledore is still in a brief staff meeting and he asked me to bring you to him since Professor McGonagall is taking care of the the first years. And of course I have already heard about you and wanted to see just how harmless or not so harmless you were. I must say, for a young one, you are quite tame and calm. It must take a great deal of restrant to hold back your anger and your hunger. I applaude you for that Mr. Staggs." Professor Flitwick told him.

"Aww shucks, professor, all it takes is the right training and the proper raising. If you let someone like me just run free and do as they want, then yeah you get the monsters everyone thinks we are. But there are those of us who are good and wouldn't harm that proverbial fly. I was indeed raised and trained right. Jason and Mooney saw to that." Alex said, trying to hide the redness that he felt growing. He always turned red when ever someone paid him a compliment and he didn't know why.

"Ahhh yes, here we are." Flitwick said as they arrived at the gargoyle statue that hid the way to the Headmaster's office. "Full Moon."

The gargoyle sprang to life and moved to the side to allow Alex access to the spiral marble stairs leading upward. "Just step onto the stairs and they will do the rest. Knock before you enter and I shall see you at the feast Mr. Staggs." Flitwick said as he walked away.

When the stairs stopped moving, Alex found himself infront of a beautiful oak and maple door. Alex raised his hand to knock only to have the door open before him and he could hear the Headmaster's voice telling him to enter.

Alex pushed the door open and entered the office. There in the office was the Headmaster himself, Albus Dumbledore, Potions Master Severus Snape, Order member Remus Lupin, Grounds Keeper Rubeus Hagrid, and Pack Alpha Jason Madden, along with Pack Financal Advisor Anthony Shock. Standing off in the corner, was Hogwarts Caretaker Argus Filch. He was holding what looked to be a mangy looking cat and his eyes never left Alex as he walked into the office.

There were other staff members present but Alex had his eyes set on his father. _Don't EVEN try anything with me this year old man, because I will make you regret it._ Alex thought as he watched his father stiffen up and glare at him, knowing damn well his father read his mind.

"Professor Dumbledore! What a pleasure seeing you again." Alex said as he strolled over to shake the professor's hand.

"Ah yes, young Mr. Staggs. 'Tis indeed a great honor seeing and having you here at Hogwarts. I do hope your train ride here wasn't too harsh on you." Dumbledoare said with a smile.

"Yeah the ride here was good. I had the pleasure of sitting with Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley and of course Harry." Alex told the group around him. "But no worries sir, he doesn't know who I am but a transfer student from Salem Academy. I understand the importance of him not knowing who I am right now. I do hope sir that in time, I will be able to tell him. We both have been robbed of so much. And because of that, I will do everything in my powers to protect and keep him safe."

Everyone in the office gave Alex a nod of the head, understanding that he knows what is at stake. Everyone but Severus. Severus stood back with his eyes locked on the young man before him. In the past 14 1/2 years, he never once thought he would see him standing before him. He thought that after Lily and James were killed and the boys were seperated, he would never have to deal with him again when he was sent to live in America. The "friends" of Lily and James that took him in, adopted him and changed his last name. He had only saw Troy and Colleen Staggs from a distance. How was he to know that Voldemort had him followed and the Staggs family put on watch.

And then there was Fenrir Greyback and his followers showing up and killing everyone. The last he had known or heard, Alex had lost his life to the attack. How was he to know that Dumbledore had sent James' best friend Lupin, to America on daily visits to check on the boy. How was he to know that it was Lupin who saved Alex from death by taking him to Jason. How was he to know that Jason was able to save him and was now raising him as his own son.

_At least, _Severus thought _he doesn't look like me. The only thing about him was his eyes. He, like Harry, had Lily's eyes._

_Lily_

_Oh sweet Lily_

He missed her so much. She was the only one who understood him. She was the only one who was ever nice to him. She was the only one he would ever love. He was deep in thoughts of Lily when Dumbledore brought him out of it by speaking to Alex once again.

"Seeing as you know and understand your being here, I don't see why this meeting should take longer than it has already has. Let's get you sorted into your house so you can join your classmates for dinner."

"With all due respect sir, I would like to be 'sorted' in front of the entire school with the others." Alex said to Dumbledore as he was reaching for the sorting hat. "I don't want special treatment while I am here except for the arrangement that has already been agreed too."

Alex's arms were folded across his chest and his feet were shoulders width apart. The stance that Jason and Tony knew as Alex's I-mean-business-and-he-not-backing-down. They both had seen this stance many times, many times the stance aimed at them.

With a huge grin on his face, Dumbledore threw his head back and laughed. "Alex my dear boy, if that is your wish then so be it. We will sort you with the rest of the first years. Remus if you will, please show our guests to the Great Hall for sorting and dinner. Severus, a quick word please."

Remus lead the group down the stairs and down the corridor to the Great Hall. They talked for a few, going over Alex's plan one last time before he was on his own. As they neared the Great Hall, Dalton, Teri and Nic joined them.

"Damn it Jay! I thought you guys were ALL leaving. You could have left to go back to the states as soon as I got on the train. Seeing you and Tony in Dumbledore's office was one thing, but come on, I am a big boy now. I can take care of myself now. I don't need you to hold my hand everytime I change schools. I not Dalton." Alex said, while shooting a smirking grin towards his pack brother.

"Easy Alex, Dumbledore asked them to stay for a few days to make sure you got settled in ok." Remus said as they slowed their walk. "Here, in here for the Great Hall. Stand here at the back of the hall until your name is called Alex."

They followed a terrified group of first year students into the Hall. _Wow, now I know why they call this the Great Hall. This place is huge. _Slex thought as he took his place beside Jason.

Through the back doors, Alex saw Dumbledore and Severus enter and take their place at the staff table. To his left, Professor Flitwick came in carrying a stool and the sorting hat on top of it. One by one, everyone watched as each first year had the hat placed on their head and sorted into their house. As the last first year was taking his seat at the Ravenclaw table, Dumbledore stood up and spoke to the school.

"Congratulations to all of you first years. Before we start our feast, we have one more sorting to do. This year, we have the pleasure of having a transfer student with us. He comes to us from the Salem Academy in the America. Please welcome students, Alexander James Staggs."

Ales took a deep breath and walked towards the staff table where Dumbledore awaited him with the hat in hand.

"Welcome Alex. If you please, have a seat on the stool and place the hat on your head."

"If it alright with you Headmaster, I would prefer to stand." Alex said.

Dumbledore threw his head back once again and laughed. He handed Alex the hat and took his seat at the staff table. He leaned back in his chair and smile. He knew this was gonna be one sorting Hogwarts and the hat wouldn't forget any time soon.

Alex knelt down in front of the school and staff and on one knee, he placed the hat on his head.

"Well ,well, well." A voice said. "A conflicting mind we have. A mind of great power and control but yet a mind of caring passion. You want to do great, I see. But you are a fighter and a protector as well. Your young heart is filled with love but is also filled with a driving anger that will surely be your downfall. Ah yes, your father's ouse you will do great in. To learn those ways you have to prove your worth. Yes your father's house I see in."

Alex yanked the hat off his head and turned it around to where he could see where the brim opened up into it's mouth. "Now listen here you raggety piece of shit, I am here on a mission. I can not and WILL not be able to my job if I am in my father's house." Alex growled at the hat to where only the hat could hear. He held the hat so close that anyone watching would have thought him to be smelling or eating the hat. "I warn you now hat, DON'T put me in my "father's" house. I am nothing like that son-of-a-bitch and I am ten times better than him. You got that!"

Giving the hat one more low growl, he placed the hat back on his head. "Place me right or you will never sort again." Alex told it warningly.

The old sorting hat laughed as it continued with it's sorting. "Well you do indeed speak your mind and you want to stand for what is right. Yes. Yes. YES! Your mother's house would indeed benefit from your strengths. So let it be known: GRYFFINDOR!"

Alex turned his gaze to the Gryffindor table to where his brother sat with his friends. With a noticeable nod, Alex stood, removed the hat, tossed it over his right shoulder, and marched his way to his new house and his new house mates.

Towards the back of the Hall, Alex could see the ear to ear grin on Jason's face. His two brothers were trying in vain to hold back the laugh that was trying so hard to break free. His pack family knew exactly what had been said. With a nod towards Jason and the pack, Alex turned his attention to the massive pile of food that appeared in front of him. Jason and the others slipped out the Hall to give Alex the space he was gonna need to be able to do his job. Tonight was all Alex. Time to let the young wolf shine.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Classes and Teachers**

Alex was sitting in the Gryffindor common room after the extremely filling feast and unpacking his trunk. He was at a total loss of words. Salem had

nothing on Hogwarts. Sure, he had been on the grounds visiting, but he never once was enrolled there as everyone was being lead to believe. Alex remembered that it took two whole days to cover the entire grounds at Salem. He had a excellent memory when it came to details, and his memory was telling him that Salem was NOT this fancy. Hogwarts had better protection wards in place too Alex noticed. It gave Hogwarts a very safe feel to it, a place where Alex could actually possiblely call home for the next nine months.

Alex sat on the couch in front of the fire place watching Ron and Harry play wizards chess. As far as he could tell, his baby brother had absolutly no sense of strategy. After the fourth loss to Ron, Alex couldn't take seeing his brother loss again.

"Ron, mind if I try against you. This version of chess isn't much different from the 'muggle' version." Alex asked.

"Uhh, sure if you think you know how." Ron said with a small smile. It had been awhile since he had the chance to play someone new. "I'll try to go easy on you and not beat you too badly. Oh, just so you know, I've never lost a match."

"Well, we'll just have to see about that now won't we. I play a mean game of chess. No one in my pa...family will play against me any more because I always win as well." Alex said as he sat down across from Ron, hoping like hell no one caught onto his almost slip up. The last thing he needed was to be found out so soon. Jason would kill him himself.

It took a few moves before Alex had Ron just where he wanted him. "CHECKMATE!" Alex proclaimed after a total of six moves.

"BLOODY HELL! How did you do that? I've never been able to win a match in so few of moves." Ron asked in a shocked tone.

Alex was still laughing when Professor McGonagall came through the portait doorway. At Salem, Alex remembered, everyone had to give a full palm print to enter/leave a building. Here, it was to give a password or to solve a riddle.

"Mr. Staggs, if you will please, come with me. You are requested at the main doors." Professor McGonagall told him.

With a quick glance around, Alex stood and followed the elderly professor out. "Umm, professor, may I ask where I am going?"

"Mr. Staggs, as you should know, the entire staff knows of your "condition." The Headmaster has been so kind to permit you access out of the castle after curfew every four to five days as part of the agreement with Mr. Madden." she told him as they reached the front doors. Mr Filch, the old caretaker, was standing off to the side holding onto his beloved cat for dear life.

"DON'T EAT MY CAT!" Filch cried hysterically.

Alex laughed as he walked out the doors, "relax old man, I won't. Besides, there's not enough meat on that cat's bones to make it an appetizer."

The last thing Alex heard before the doors closed was Filch running and screaming in terror down the corridors, away from Alex as fast as he could. Alex shook his head and made his way down to the Forbidden Forest. On their way to the entrance doors, McGonagall informed him that he was to head to the Forest and meet with the Headmaster there.

As he got closer to the Forest, five massive wolves the size of full grown Great Danes, stepped out of the woodline and into the moonlight. Dumbledore was waiting for Alex with the giant of a man that Alex remembered seeing in the Headmaster's office.

"Alex, so glad you made it here safely. This, is Rubeus Hagrid. He is the Grounds Keeper and he also tends to all the creatures here on Hogwarts grounds." Dumbledore said as Alex and Hagrid shook hands. "Hagrid has been so kind to notify those in the forest that every four to five days, you will be permitted access to run and hunt. He has also been so kind to mark off the area in which you and only you, will be allowed in. Please do not try and exit your hunting area. Special arrangements have been made for tonight to allow the entire Pack to hunt with you as well. When you are done, please go and see Hagrid and he will let you back into the castle. And might I add, please do remember that you do have classes in the morning. Do try and not stay out too late. Happy hunting Alex." And with that, Dumbledore walked back up to the castle.

Alex turned to Hagrid after the headmaster walked back to the castle. "I shouldn't be out no more than two hours if that is ok."

"Er, sure Alex, I'd be happy ter come get and fetch ya. Got to do me rounds in about two hours as it is. Uh, no offense ter the fetching remark eh?" Hagrid said rubbing his bearded chin.

"None taken. That expression seems to always find it's way around me. See ya back in two hours then. Oh one more thing, do you think I could have a quick run around the castle itself? I promise I will make it a fast run and then I will stay to the forest." Alex asked.

"I don't see any harm with that, just make sure your not spotted eh. Don't need Dumbledore getting on ter the both of us for you running loose on the actual castle grounds." Hagrid told him.

"Thanks Hagrid. I understand now why Harry considers you one of his friends. Your a good man Hagrid." Alex said as he patted the big black wolf nearest to him on the head. "Relax, I going I going."

Alex turned and strolled into the forest unaware he was being watched.

Ginny sat in the Gryffindor common room window that overlooked the grounds and had a direct view of the Forbidden Forest. There was just something about Alex Staggs that got to her and drove her crazy. She was gonna one way or another find out what he was hiding. As she sat in the window, she saw Alex move across the grounds in almost a dead run for the Forest. As she watched, five wolves bigger than anything she had seen stepped out of the woods next to Professor Dumbledore.

"Hermione, could I speak to you for a 'sec please." Ginny asked very quietly.

Hermione walked over to the window where her friend was sitting and took a seat on the opposite of the window. "What's up Ginny?"

Ginny leaned in towards Hermione and with a finger to her lips, pointed.

As they watched, Alex walked into the woods and dissappeared. A few minutes later, another wolf the size of a Great Dane walked out of the woods and began to run towards the castle.

Alex sat at the Gryffindor table looking over his classes. Professor McGonagall had informed Alex that even though he was the actually considered to be a Sixth year, Dumbledore felt him to be better suited as a Fifth Year. He could tell just by the look of his classes for the day, he was gonna be in a right foul mood come the end of the day. His second class of the day was double potions with Severus Sanpe.

"Hey Alex, how goes it today?" Ginny asked him as she sat on the bench next to him.

"Was going good until I got my classes." he said as he crammed his mouth full with scrambled eggs and bacon. "I have always hated potions and now I get a double dose of it my first day of classes. How's your morning going by the way?" He said after he emptied his mouth of all the food.

"It going so-so. I've got Defense Against the Dark Arts first off. It seems we have a new D.A.D.A. teacher again. Cann't seem to keep one for more than a year. And by the looks of this Professor Umbridge, it may be a long day for any student who has her." Ginny told him.

"Well, I got Charms this first hour then it double Potions with Professor Dumbass. God, I'm gonna hate it here aren't I. How have you guys managed to deal with him for so long. And does Dumbledore still have him around? Sorry, it just I already know Professor Snape and he and I didn't hit it off so great." Alex told her without looking up from his schedule.

"Don't feel so bad Alex, I think the only ones who like Professor Snape is those in Slytherin. And that only because he favors them. He never takes away points from them, always from everyone else. You'll like here I promise, even if I have to make it my personal job to make sure you're happy." Ginny said with a wicked grin.

_What is she mean by that? Awwww shit, what does she know about me already. I thought I was being careful last night when I left. I could have thought that maybe, MAYBE I was being watched. I didn't see anyone on the grounds though. _ Alex thought to himself.

After Alex finished up his breakfast, he met Ron, Harry and Hermione outside the Charms classroom. "Morning guys, how's it going this morning?" he asked the trio with a grin.

"Ugh, are you always in this good of a mood in the mornings?" Ron asked, trying to hold back a yawn.

"I'm in a good mood 24/7 if I didn't have to tend with certain people but yeah, I usually in a good mood all the time and this early." Alex responded back.

The four teenagers made their way into the Charms classroom and found a table all four could sit at. Everyone stared as they came in to see Alex sitting with Ron, Hermione, and Harry. "Why is everyone staring at me? Do I have something stuck in my teeth?" Alex asked.

"No silly, it's because you're new and to be honest with you, you are handsome Alex." Hermione said blushing.

Before Alex could come back with a remark, Professor Flitwick entered the classroom. "Good morning students. Welcome back to Hogwarts and Charms class. As most of you know, we have a new student in our mix, Alex Staggs from the states. Alex, don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand the spell. I don't know what all you have learned but I believe you know the basic levitation charm, correct?" Professor Flitwick asked.

"Yes Professor I do know that charm. Would you like for me to demonstrate for the class?" Alex answered.

Professor Flitwick waved his hand in a gesture that said "be my guest", and Alex stood up and walked to the middle of the classroom. "Anything perticular thing you want me to levitate Professor?"

"Anything you like my dear boy." said Professor Flitwick.

"OK then." With a quick flick upwards of his right hand, Alex levitated Professor Flitwick across his desk and set him down in front of where Alex was standing.

"MARVELOUS! SIMPLY MARVELOUS!" Professor Fliwick exclaimed.

"You did say anything Professor." Alex said laughingly as he was knelt in front of his tiny professor.

"That my dear boy I did. That I did." said Professor Flitwick. As he turned to go back to his desk, he stopped and looked back at Alex. "Umm, do you think you could give me hand back to my desk, seeing as you put me here?"

Alex laughingly gave his wrist an upwards flick and sent his tiny professor floating above the heads of his classmates and sat him gently in his chair. Alex retook his seat next to Harry and smiled to himself.

"Amazing mate. Just couldn't help showing off could you?" Ron asked him, trying to hold back the laugh that was wanting out.

"Nah, I couldn't. I think he enjoyed it though, seeing as he wanted me to levitate back instead of walking back himself. But I didn't mind. He knows now that I can do it." Alex said as he opened his Charms book and started reading the chapter on conjuring.

After the class was over, the four new friends made their way down to the dungeons where Double Potions was about to take place. As they walked down the corridor, they saw Mr. Filch getting onto a second year Ravenclaw student for dropping a broken quill on the floor.

"Let me handle this." Alex said with a wicked wolfish grin. "I want to see if my theory about this fool is right. He seems to freak out when he sees me. I wonder if he will again and leave this poor kid alone."

Alex let out a loud whistle in which Mr. Filch turned his attention to the direction the whistle came. He froze in his spot when he saw Alex coming towards him. He started to back peddle but it was as if his feet wouldn't move. Finally when Alex was five feet away, Filch was able to move his feet and run. "STAY AWAY FROM ME! PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! DON'T HURT ME CAT!" Filch screamed as he ran away.

Alex stood there with his arms folded across his chest. _That is one terrified man. Can not believe he thinks I am going to eat him or his cat. I guess I was right, he is scared of me._

"Alex, why does Mr. Filch thinks your going to eat him or his cat?" Harry asked.

"No clue bro, no clue. When you figure that out, let me know. Dude freaks out everytime he sees me. Don't he know that I am harmless? I wouldn't hurt a fly." Alex said as they started walking again. "Hey I know what might help him with his issues. Dude needs to, what's the phrase you guys use here, get shagged. A little shagging just might help the poor guy out." With that remark, they all cracked up laughing and still were laughing when they reached the dungeon doors.

Potions Master Severus Snape was standing outside the door when the four teenagers came walking up laughing. "Ten points each from Gryffindor for being too loud in the corridors. This is a school of learning in case the four of you have forgotten that. Take your seats and not another word from any of you."

Alex stood there outside the classroom door glaring at the Potions Master. _You son-a-bitch, you just trying to piss me off aren't you. _Alex thought. _It's one thing to go after him when he has done something wrong, but to nail him just because he with his friends? DON'T push me damn it._

Professor Snape glared back at the young werewolf and with a stern tone of voice told him, "Your seat Mr. Staggs or it will be detention for you for the entire school year." In a low voice to where only Alex could hear, "_DON'T_ you ever threaten me again or I will see to it that the Headmaster expells you. I don't care what Jason or the others in that flea-bitten pack think. And no, I wont think twice about giving you detention the entire year, even if you are my bastard son. Just do your job and I will continue to do mine."

Alex followed his father into the classroom and took the empty seat next to Hermione. "Are you ok?" she whispered to him.

"I'm fine." he snapped back quietly. "God, I hate him so much."

"Enough talking! Take out your stuff and you have two hours to brew this potion. I want silence from EVERYONE!" Professor Snape snapped at everyone as he waved his hand across the board and the potion directions for the "Wolfsbane Potion" appeared. "Get started NOW!"

"Twenty points from Gryffindor Mr. Staggs. I do not apprecitate being glared at. Keep that up and it will be fifty points next time." Snape said with a sneer as Alex glared at him one last time before starting on his potion.

Alex was sitting at the Gryffindor table at lunch when he was approached by a dark-skinned 7th year girl. "SIXTY POINTS! HALF OF THEM ARE FROM YOU!" Angelina Johnson yelled at him. "Are trying to put us in last place before the season gets started or what. Stop ticking Professor Snape off, or any of the teachers for that fact. Quidditch try-outs are this Friday and I want you there."

Alex just sat there with his jaw hanging as the girl stormed away. "Who was that?" Alex asked Ron as he sat down across from Alex.

"Angelina Johnson, Gryffindor Quidditch Captain and Seventh Year student. Got a right bit of temper on her so watch out mate." Ron replied as he piled his plate full of food and began eating.

Alex sighed as he turned back to his plate. This first day of classes was rough and it was bound to get rougher. As he was about to fill his plate for the second time, Ginny sat down next to him, face full of rage and anger.

"That woman is foul, rude and hatefull. What does she know about defending yourself. I'll tell you, NOTHING! Be warned guys, in your D.. class, forget about using your wands. She gonna make you read the basics. It all gonna be on theory not hands on. Half the Gryffindors have detention with her this weekend because they tried to prove her wrong and called her a liar about You-Know-Who being back."

"We've not had the pleasure of having her yet but thanks Ginny for that wonderful heads up." Alex retorted. "I don't need anymore bad news as it is today. Dealing with my fa...Professor Snape has already put me in a right foul mood as it is. Excuse me for few, I need to speak with the Headmaster about something." _I can NOT let him get to me like that. That slip up could have messed everything up and I cann't afford to let Jason and the Pack down, much less let Harry down._ Alex thought to himself as he walked up to the staff table where Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall were chatting.

"Professor, I really hate to bother you but if I could have a word with you, it would be greatly appreciated so much." Alex said speaking to the Headmaster. " I have a problem that I need to have tended to tonight if possible."

"What may be the problem young Mr. Staggs. I do hope your classes are going well?" Dumbledore said with a knowing smile.

"My classes for the most part are going great, it is just my father I cann't deal with right now. Sixty points from Gryffindor for no reason, and thirty of them he hit me with. Sir, I know I was allowed out last night, but sir please. I can hold my changing until this evening but no longer. Permission sir, to run the Forest tonight." Alex said.

"Professor McGonagall will come get you at dusk, so be ready. We can not have an upset werewolf running around the castle, unable to control their emotions. Yes, permission gratned Alex to run tonight. I will speak to Professor Snape and remind him that he can not push you like he does Harry." Professor Dumbledore said to him.

"Thank you sir." Alex told him as he turned and walked away.

"Everything OK?" Hermione asked him as he sat back down at the table.

"Yeah everything is fine. Things are being taken care of as we speak. I just have something I need to do tonight and Professor Dumbledore was OKing it for me." he said without raising his eyes to meet her gaze.

"More secrets? Boy, you do have a lot of secrets for a 16 year old." Ginny said, not being able to keep quiet any longer. Ginny leaned in closer to Alex and whispered into his ear so only he could hear, "No one here would ever have to know. Your secrets would be safe if you were to tell."

"Yeah, I bet they would." he said quietly back to her. "But I am afraid that it not only would put me in harms way, but others as well, mainly my brother. I can not let harm come to him. He is all that I have of our mother now."

As the afternoon bell rang to begin the afternoon classes, Alex gave Ginny a quick glance that said that she was onto what he was hiding from every one. _Damn._ _I thought I was beign careful._ Alex thought as he and the trio made their way to their first class that afternoon, Defense Against the Dark Arts.

As soon as he sat down next to Harry, Alex knew this class was gonna be hell. His bad day was just getting started and this class would be his breaking point, if only he could control his anger just a bit longer and hold off until dusk.

As he sat there, trying to calm himself down, he didnt see the toad-like of a woman enter the classroom.

"Welcome class. I am Professor Umbridge and I will be teaching you the basics of this class. No need to have your wands out, so please put them away. This class has completely missed it point over the past few years and time has come to set things right." she went on as the class sat there in shock.

"You mean to say that we _wont_ be practicing spells to defend ourselves with." said a fifth year Ravenclaw by the name of Kat O'Hara.

"No Miss..."

"O'Hara. Kat O'Hara." Kat replied.

"No Miss O'Hara you will not be practicing defensive spells. Why on earth would you need to do that." Umbridge said.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe to protect ourselves if we get attacked." Harry stated.

"Well, Mr. Potter. I've heard about you all summer. Convinced that the Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, has returned. I assure you and everyone else in this school, HE is not back." Umbridge said as she stopped in front of Harry and Alex. "I assure you, NO ONE would want to harm or attack you. We are living in a safe safe world."

"What rock did you just climb out from under? Lady, I don't kow where you have been for the past almost 17 years, but believe me, there are _THOSE_ out there who would love to attack us whenever they could." Alex replied. "Do you mean to tell me and my classmates here, that we should have NO worries about being attacked by a Death Eater, vampires, or I don't know, werewolves. You want to stand there and tell us these do not exist? Alex Staggs by the way. I just transferred here from Salem Academy in the States."

"**HOW DARE YOU**!" screamed Umbridge. "Those vile type of creatures DO NOT exist. No one is out there who will do you children harm. Your minds have been twisted and you have been lied too all your lives. I am here to set the record straight."

"Werewolves don't exist you say. I know for a damn fact that they do. My main study was werewolves. I was planning on going into the Werewolf Division at the America Minstery. Their simple goal is to track down and straighten out those "wolves" who need to be straighten out. Those that refuse, will be "taken care of" so to speak." Alex said as he stood from his chair. In front of the class, Alex removed his school robes and long sleeve white shirt, revealing the massive scar that ran down the left side of his body.

**"MR. STAGGS! PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON THIS MINUTE!" **Umbridge yelled at him.

"Look at me. I didn't get get these scars from nothing. Luckily for me, the "werewolf" who attacked me wasn't a fully changed wolf. He was close, but not fully changed. _**DON'T**_ stand there and tell me **THEY** or him don't exisit. I found out later it was on **HIS** orders that I be killed. Why? Who knows but only him. If Harry and Professor Dumbledore both say he back, then guess what lady, HE IS BACK!" Alex said as he grabbed his shirt and robes and walked from the classroom.

"DETENTION MR. STAGGS! DETENTION FOR A MONTH!" Umbridge said to Alex's retreating back.

"Whatever" was all anyone heard as the door slammed close.

Alex was sitting in the common room doing his potions homework when he realized that there was someone standing over him. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall and Alex's Pack Alpha Jason Madden were standing over him when he looked up. The look on Jason's face said it all, Alex was in deep deep shit and he knew it.

"Hi guys, what can I do for you? Jason, so glad to see you here still. I do hope things are OK." Alex said, trying to lighten the mood in the room.

"Are you trying to get founded out Alex. That stunt you pulled in your class today could have ruined everything, your whole reason of being here." Jason said in an irate tone. "You have to keep your temper in check Alex. It is one thing to go off on Snape but we know nothing about this Umbridge woman and now you're getting too close to crossing that line."

"OH! I'm so sorry Jason, but I really don't like being told I don't exist. That woman stood there and told me and everyone else in that classroom that "werewolves and vampires DO NOT exist. The last time I checked, Jason, WE do exist. WE walk and talk. WE do eat and sleep. WE do breathe the same air as everyone else. What, you want to tell me now that WE dont have sex either? Because if that the case, then someone forgot to give that memo to Dalton and Teri." Alex said heatedly. "Professor with all due respect, I can not and WILL not do detention with that vile woman. I will not be able to control my anger long enough to do the "months worth of detention" she thinks I am going to do for her. Sir, I have NEVER wanted to kill or take another person's life, but I feel I will have no other choice BUT to kill her. I can not sit in her class any more either. IF I was made to do these "detentions." you better start looking now for a new teacher. So help me Merlin, I will rip that woman's throat out." With that being said, Alex grabbed his jacket on the back of the couch and went out through the portait hole.

"Well Mr. Madden, what do you suggest for this young man who has such a way with words?" Professor McGonagall asked the elder wolf.

"Keep him away from this Umbridge woman if possible and anyone else he might want to kill. In all my years of knowing and raising Alex, I have never seen him so angry or upset. And what he said about never wanting to kill anyone, he was telling the truth. He has always been my calm one. He has only killed twice and that was because of some rogue wolves killed two of his Pack brothers a few years ago. He never got over losing his brothers." Jason said quietly, knowing all too well that the words that his step-son spoke were in fact the truth. "I just hope that no one caught onto what he actually said about his scars. That would be bad for our cause and will defeat the whole purpose of him being here."

"Ginny, you should have seen him. I know he has only been for a day but he was so upset, that he walked out of Umbridge's class. There was something about how he was talking about how he got that scar that tells me that he is indeed hiding something. I just cann't put my finger on it." Hermione said as the four friends were sitting under the big tree by the lake, going over homework.

"Give it a rest Hermione. Alex is probably on his way back to the States now because if Umbridge gets her way, Alex will be explelled." Ron said. "I give up, I'm going back to the common room to get my broom. I'm gonna go practice at the pitch for Quidditch try-outs Friday. Harry, you wanna come help?" Ron said as he put his homework into his bag.

"Sure." Harry replied as he stood to walk with his best friend back to the castle. "All this talk about Alex is breaking my thought flow."

As Ron and Harry made their way back to the castle, Ginny turned to face the older witch. "So what happened again? You think he's hiding something as well."

"I don't think he is being completly truthfull about his scar and how he got it. I think he doesn't want anyone to know the truth about him whatever it may be." Hermione said as she sat back and started looking over her Charms homework.

As Ginny went to say something, a twig to her far right snapped. Ginny turned just in time to see a large golden wolf step from the wood line and another large wolf, greyish-blonde in color, stepped in between the other wolf and the two teenage girls. As the second wolf took it's stance for protecting, two more large wolves stepped out of the woods, one being a blonde color and the other being coal black.

With a low, deep throat growl from the second wolf, the three wolves that come out of the woods turned and went back into the dark forest. The wolf turned it's head and gaze towards the two teenage girls, now sitting huddled up together. Hermione slowly reached into her robes and drew out her wand. The wolf just stood there and looked at the stick in the young girl's hand and shook it's head. It's eyes and gaze found its way to the young red-head sitting there and for a moment, both of their eyes locked.

Ginny sat there next to Hermione and slowly pulled Hermione's wand hand down. "Don't. It's not gonna hurt us." she said as her eyes locked on the wolf standing in front of her. "It was protecting us from those other ones. I don't th..." she started to say before she let out a gasp.

_Those eyes. I know those eyes. _Ginny thought as the wolf turned and ran into the woods.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Somethings You Just Cann't Hide**

_Those eyes. I know those eyes. _Ginny thought as the wolf turned and ran into the woods.

Ginny slowly raised herself from the ground where she was sitting. Her eyes were locked on the spot where the massive wolf was just standing before it dissappeared into the forest. Ginny forgot that Hermione was with her until she heard the girl call our her name.

"Ginny? GINNY? What were you starting to say before you stopped?" Hermione asked her after the younger girl acknowledged her after a few minutes. "You didnt what?"

"I started to say I don't think we had anything to worry about and that I thought it was harmless." Ginny said as she continued to stare at the forest.

"ALEX! GET YOUR BLOODY ARSE BACK HERE NOW! I KNOW IT WAS JUST YOU! SHOW YOUR SELF NOW!" Ginny screamed towards the woodline.

"Ginny have you lost your mind?" Hermione asked questionably. "Alex wasn't just here, he is up in the common room. Why do.."

"No Hermione, _THAT _was Alex. I have spent many hours looking into his eyes. _THOSE_ eyes belonged to Alex. I just know it." Ginny said. "I want full answers from him. His secrets are no more. ALEX, GET YOUR ARSE OVER HERE NOW!"

From behind her and Hermione, Ginny heard another twig snap. She spun around, drawing her wand as she turned and fired off a stunning spell in the process, hitting the greyish-blonde wolf dead center of its chest. The wolf let out a yelp and fell to the ground where it stood.

"Shit!" Ginny exclaimed as she walked over to the wolf. As she got nearer to it, the wolf slowly stood up and shook itself off. The wolf pulled itself together and walked over to Ginny and took her wand from her hand. The wolf dropped the wand at its feet and shook its head at Ginny.

_She calls me out and then she attacks me. What gives?_ Alex thought as he stood in front of her and Hermione in his wolf form.

Alex started to sit down when a movement behind Ginny in the woods caught his eye. As he watched, his Pack brother Nick stepped from the forest still in his wolf form as well. Nick's black fur glistened in the setting sun as he stepped into the opening. Nick slowly inched his way towards Ginny with his nose in the air sniffing her scent out. Before Nick could react, Alex pounced on him, sinking his teeth into the back of his neck. Nick let out a yelp and began to try and dislodge Alex from his back.

The next thing Alex knew, he felt two hands grab ahold of him and was yanked off of Nick. As soon as he felt his paws touch the ground, he spun around and tried to bite the person trying to hold him down. Alex snapped his jaw shut, and grazed the side of Jason's hand just enough to draw blood. Without thinking, Jason reacted by making a fist and punched the young werewolf in the muzzle, making him drop to the ground.

_Holy shit!_ Alex thought to himself as he saw stars moving around his eyes. _I seriously need to watch who I am snapping at. Damn, that really hurts Jay._

"Whoa! Easy Jason. I think you might had hurt the kid with that punch." Tony said as he came running to Alex's aide. " I really don't think he meant to snap at you like that. You kinda startled him and he only reacted." Tony knelt beside the young wolf and was trying to check how bad he had been punched. Werewolves have a much stronger strength than that of a normal person. Sometimes, they forget how strong they are.

"Ummm, Jason. You might want to come look at him. If I didn't know better, I'd say you broke his muzzle, well his jaw anyway." Tony said as Alex let out a loud yelp when Tony tried to check his muzzle. Alex laid there on the ground twitching as if he was having a seizure. Jason walked over and knelt beside him.

"Awww kid, I didn't mean it really. Come on, let's get you up to the hospital wing and have you looked over." Jason said as he very carefully picked him up. "Easy kid, try not to move as much as possible. Tony, go ahead and let Albus know what's going on. Have him to meet us in the hospital wing."

Jason walked as gently as he could without causing the young wolf even more pain. It was bad enough that every few steps Alex would yelp out in pain as he would try and lick his muzzle. Jason carried the injured wolf up to the castle and up to the hospital wing. He was greeted by the Headmaster and the school's nurse at the hospital wing.

"Headmaster, I would suggest that no one be allowed in while he is here please." Jason said as he entered the wing. "We had a minor mishap out by the lake. We both miss reacted and he got injured because of it. I believe Madam Pomfrey, he has a broken nose, er muzzle as it is right now."

Jason carefully laid Alex on his side on the bed and covered the young wolf up with a sheet. "Let him get relaxed and changed back before you try to treat him. I don't know how well your medicines will work for a changed werewolf. He heals quick so I don't think there will be a need for him to be here for very long, overnight at the best."

Alex awoke from a groggy sleep, laying in a bed in the hospital wing. He slowly raised himself to a half sitting position and looked around. He could pick up someone's scent but with the headache that he was sporting, he couldn't tell whose scent it was. He slowly looked around and saw fresh clothes on the night stand next to his bed. He slowly pulled the sheets back and reached for his clothes.

As Alex stood up to pull on his boxer briefs, Ginny let out a low gasp. Even growing up with six older brothers, Ginny had never seen the naked back-side of a guy before. After "borrowing" Harry's invisibility cloak, Ginny snuck up to the hospital wing to see Alex. She followed the nurse through the door when nurse returned from breakfast and was hiding off in one of the corners catty-corner from Alex's bed.

Alex finished dressing, knowing that he was being watched and proceded to leave the wing. As he got closer to where Ginny was hidden, it occured to him whose scent he had picked up when he awoke.

_So, Ginny snuck in here under Harry's invisibility cloak trying to find out my secrets. Now I know where she stands and I know now that she does have an interest in me. Let's see how she likes this little move._ Alex thought to himself as he slowly approached where Ginny was hidden under the cloak.

_Accio invisibility cloak. _Alex thought.

Just as quick as the cloak landed in Alex's hand, Alex had himself fully covered under the cloak. He slowly crept around where Ginny was in a crouched position, terrified to move now that the cloak was pulled off of her. With Ginny's back to him, Alex wrapped both him and Ginny in the cloak.

"You know, it not very polite to spy on someone." Alex whispered into her ear, causing her to jump. Alex had his arms wrapped around Ginny's waist to keep her from jumping too hard and making too much noise. "I thought it was you but I wasn't fully for sure."

"I..I..I." Ginny stuttered, knowing that she had been caught spying on him. "I wanted to make sure you were OK after you got punched in the nose."

"Yeah, I'm ok but that still doesn't give the right to be in here after the headmaster warned everyone out. That was a dangerous move, ballsy, but dangerous." He said quietly with a grin on his face. "I like it. Come on, very quietly, follow me out under Harry's cloak. The last thing we need is for you to be caught."

Alex carefully slid out from under the cloak, leaving Ginny still covered. "Stay right with me." Alex told her as he stood. "And as close as you can."

As Alex approached the doors, the doors to the hospital wing opened up and Jason walked in, followed by the members of the pack.

"Alex! How you feeling this morning kid?" Jason asked as walked over to Alex.

"Good, now that my jaw's not hurting. Easy on the downward punches would ya." Alex said with a laugh. "And yes, I will try and watch who I am snapping at next time. Don't want to snap and bite the wrong person."

"No. That would not be a good idea." Jason said as he looked glanced around, trying to find where the other scent was coming from. He knew someone else was in the room but he could not see them. He gave Alex a questioning look and the look he got back from Alex told him all he neeed to know, there was someone else in the room but hidden. Jason stepped to the side to allow Alex and who ever was there to pass by without having attention drawn to them.

As Alex passed through the doors, he slowly turned to face the others. "Thanks guys but I am pretty sure I can get up to the Common Room on my own. I'll talk to you all later."

Jason and the Pack stood there and watched as Alex walked away.

"What's he up too, Jay?" Dalton asked. "He has never dismissed us like that for nothing. What got into him now?"

"Was it me, or did anyone else pick up another scent but could not see where it was coming from?" Teri asked. "I am usually good at picking scents up and following them, but they are kinda hard to track so close when you don't see them and they that close."

"No Teri, you weren't mistaken. There was someone else but they were hidden. I think that is the reason why we were so dismissed so abruptly by Alex. I think the kid has found him a possible mate now and if that is the case, I want everyone to steer clear of Alex for awhile. Dalton, Nick, that means the two of you. Leave him be and let him deal with this on his own. DON'T try and interfer with his relationship with whoever it is.

"Alright, it all clear and you can come out now." Alex told Ginny once they were up in the Common Room. Alex had already did a search of the Gryffindor tower and no one was there. Everyone was appearently down at breakfast. Ginny slowly pulled the cloak off slowly to reveal herself to Alex. "It's ok really. Everyone down at breakfast, someplace we should be as well. Honestly though, I don't feel up to eating in front of the entire school right now. What about you?"

Ginny slowly shook her head no and looked up at Alex. "So what now. What are you going to do now about me knowing?" She said in a slightly shaking voice.

Alex threw his head back and laughed, "Relax, I not going to hurt you if that what you are talking about. I really am harmless. I wouldn't harm a fly unless I am provoked or cornered. I would never hurt you." Alex said as he took a step closer to Ginny.

Alex raised his left hand and slowly touched Ginny's right cheek. Her skin was so soft to his touch that he found that he couldn't pull his hand away, he needed more. As he cupped her face with both his hands, Ginny placed both her hands on Alex's chest for support. She lifted her eyes to meet his and immediately found herself lost in his gaze. She took a deep breath and moved closer to the werewolf before her. They stood like that for a few moments before something inside of Alex really began to stir. Everything in him came alive at the feeling of her touch. Something about her was calling to him and hard as he may try, he just couldn't find it in him to walk away from her. And whatever it was about her, he found himself getting slightly aroused by her touch.

"What is it about you that I find myself so drawn to you? There something about you that calls out to me and I am finding it really really hard to let you go or to walk away from you." He whispered to her.

"You felt it too then. Here I thought it was just me that day at Kings Cross." Ginny answered him quietly, never taking her eyes off of him. "I don't want to lose this or you."

"You won't lose me, that I promise you." Alex told her. "A Pack wolf never breaks a promise once they make it. It's a Pack rule that once we make a promise, we do everything in our power to make sure we keep it. Either that or we die trying."

"So you are a werewolf then?" Ginny said more as a statement than a question. Alex slowly nodded his head knowing that he already had let it slip and that she now knew what he was.

"Ginny please, no one here is to know. If word was to get out that I am a werewolf, I will be hunted down along with my pack and killed. Not to mention you, just knowing is dangerous enough. Not all of us are bad. Some of us are good and we do good. Promise me that you will tell no one, that means you cann't tell your brothers, Hermione or Harry. Especially not Harry. He can not know who and what I am." Alex said to her, still holding her gaze with his eyes.

"Why cann't Harry know who you are?" Ginny asked questionally.

"Umm, well. That, uh, is another story in itself. One that I cann't tell you just yet." Alex said, now rubbing the back of his neck. "A few people here could be in serious trouble if it were to get out about my past. All I can tell you is that I have a past that no one would want or wish on their worst enemy, or at least from my point of view I wouldn't wish it on my enemy."

"At least that is something. I can accept that. Would you tell me though?" Ginny said with a smile.

"Maybe when the time is right I will, but not right now. There are just some things you don't need to know all at once. I'm actually surprised you figured it out so soon. I was hoping for a little bit more time before one of my secrets got out." Alex said as he lead Ginny over to the couch in front of the fireplace. "But since you do know what I am, I will let you ask any question or questions that you want to know about that part of me."

Alex sat down on one of the side of the couch and turned sideways so he had his right arm propped up on the back of the couch and so he could see Ginny who sat mirrored to him. He had his right leg bent at the knee and his left leg draped over it at the ankle.

"You might want to hurry though. We won't have any time to talk once the rest of the house gets back here. I don't want to risk the chance of someone over hearing us talk." Alex said as he turned his head towards the entrance way.

"How long have you been like this. Does it have anything to do with your scars on your left side?" Ginny asked first off.

"I've been like this since I was 2 1/2 years old. It was a werewolf attack on my family that I nearly died from. Yes, my scars are indeed from that." Alex responded.

"Do you know who the werewolf was or is? Are they still alive?"

"Yes, I found out later when I was about 10 who was responible for me being the way that I am. Unfortantly, yes he is still at large, roaming around killing and turning others."

"How was it that you got to be apart of the pack?"

"Remus was good friends with my mom and my step dad before they died. When they died, I was sent to America to live. Remus took me there when I about 2 years old. He kept intouch with my new guardians who turned out to be good friends of my parents. Six months to the day of getting to my new home, the protection wards that had been set up, crashed hard and fast. Fenrir Greyback and his followers crashed through with such force, no one could stop them. Not even two of America's top Aurors. The fight happened so fast that it was over before it even started. Greyback found me hiding in a pantry and proceded to attack me. He had me by my left arm, flinging me around like a rag doll, trying to rip my arm out of the socket when Remus came running in. If Remus hadn't have came in when he did, I would have been dead by the time he got there. He fought off Greyback and caused him to turn tail and run. He then wrapped me up the best he could and took off to New York where the Pack lives and owns territory. Jason had just taken over as the new Aplha for the Pack when I came to live there. Jason did his best to nurse me back to health the best he could. There for the longest time, my survival was up in the air. There were times that Jason's best efforts were not working. But, by the powers of Merlin, I did manage to survive."

"Wow" was all Ginny could say, raising her hand to wipe the tear that was threating to fall, only to have Alex wipe her eyes for her. The touch of his hand cause her to move closer and lean into his right shoulder. Ginny rested her head on his shoulder, with her shoulder just under his. Alex rested his right cheek on the top of Ginny's head, taking in her scent the whole time.

"Are you afraid of me Ginny? Most people who do know what I am run from me."

"No. Like you said, you're harmless." She said solftly as she rested her right hand on his chest, splaying her fingers out across, feeling the raise and fall of his chest.

Alex cupped the right side of Ginny's face with his left hand and tilted her face towards him as he slowly leaned in for a kiss. He pressed his lips sofltly against her's until she allowed him to kiss her more. Ginny parted her lips and granted him permission when he ran his tongue across her bottom lip, seeking admittance into her mouth. Ginny snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him closer as he moved his left hand to the back of neck and his right hand found its way to the small of her back. Ginny pressed herself up against Alex as close as she could, feeling the body heat coming off of him in one huge massive wave.

As they kissed, Alex felt himself getting that arousal feeling again. He felt his jeans begin to tighten and knew that at any moment Ginny was going to feel his arousal too. Just as he completed the thought, Ginny did feel the bulge coming from Alex's jeans and slowly pulled away from him.

"Umm, Ginny. I think we really need to stop now. As much as I would love to continue on with our current activities, I won't be able to control myself if we keep going." Alex said panting, laying his head on the back of the couch trying to desperately catch his breath.

"You're right, we do need to stop." Ginny said panting as well. "The last thing I or we need is for my three older brothers come in in the middle of an amazing snogging session with you. I would really hate to lose three brothers at once, seeing as you would be taking them out."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence there Weasley. I only fight when I have to or if my life was in danger." Alex said smirking and cutting his gaze towards Ginny.

"You love me and you know. I could say anything to you and it would not phase you at all, would it?" Ginny sais laughingly as she sat up on the couch.

"I would do anything for you, just to see you happy and safe. And yes, I do. Everything in me loves everything about you. I would move heaven and hell just to be with you. You could say whatever you wanted to about me and I would still want to be with you." Alex replied back to her.

"Ginny" Alex said as he turned his head to face her. "Will you go out with me?"

Before Ginny could answer, the portait hole opened up and Ron, Harry and Hermione all came into the common room, noting the pair sitting on the couch close together.

"What the bloody hell is going on in here?" Ron asked as he raised his wand and pointed at Alex.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Kisses and Quidditch**

"RON!" Ginny yelled at her brother. "Don't you _even _think about hexing him. He's done nothing wrong."

Ginny moved to stand in front of Alex, who was now standing facing the trio who had just come in. Alex just stood there with his hands shoved in his pockets, not even trying to defend himself from an attack.

"Ginny, get out of the way. I'm going to teach Alex here a lesson on messing with younger girls. He doesn't need to have his paws all over you." Ron said angerly.

"Ginny," Alex whispered to her, "let me deal with this please. He cann't hurt me. You should know that, seeing as you hit me with a strong stunner and it didn't phase me at all. I'm immune to your curses and hexes."

Alex stepped around Ginny and walked over to stand in front of Ron who still had his wand trained on Alex. "Ron, please, lower your wand. My "paws" as you so called put them, are not on your sister. They are in fact in my pockets. We were just talking is all. No harm, no foul."

"Ron, really mate, all they were doing were sitting on the couch when we came in." Harry said, stepping up to push Ron's wand down. "I don't think Alex would be stupid enough to try something with Ginny with everyone so close here."

"Ron, please, stop." Hermione chimed in. "We all know that you are protective of Ginny. No one wants to see her get hurt or danger come to her. I really don't think Alex would harm her any way. If any thing, he would want to protect her as well."

Ron finally lowered his wand and glared at Alex. "I know something is going on with you and my sister. I promise you, I WILL find out what it is. Stay away from her."

With that, Ron stormed up the stairs to the boys dormitory and grabbed his book bag for his classes.

"Let me handle this guys." Alex said as he took off up the stairs, following Ron. Ginny just stood there and watched her boyfriend go confront her idiotic brother. How she wished it was her dealing with Ron and not Alex. She knew though that this was something that he needed to do. He was wanting to prove himself to her family, even if he didn't say it out loud to her.

Ginny turned her attention to her two best friends and folded her arms across her chest. "Well? I know the two of you have a question brewing in those heads of yours. So while Alex is up stairs dealing with Ron, spit it out."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other with an equally shocked look on both their faces. " Honestly Ginny, we don't and we wouldn't." Harry said. "Well, I wouldn't though, Hermione might."

Hermione turned and looked at Harry, "What was that supposed to mean? I am only concerned for Ginny's well-being, just like you and Ron." Hermioine turned her attention back to Ginny, "So, what was going on before we came in. Things looked like they were starting to get serious."

"Well, if you must know, he had just asked me to go out with him when you three came in. Was about to give him an answer when Ron decided to point his wand at him." Ginny said with a smile. "AND he is a bloody brilliant kisser."

"Ron, please, hear me out before you go blasting away at me ok. Ginny is a big girl. She can choose who she wants to go out with on her own. She doesn't need you to hold her hand. What she does is her own personal business." Alex said after he followed Ron up to their dormitory. Alex stood blocking the door so Ron couldn't get away and was forced to talk to Alex.

"You're no good for her, so just leave her be." Ron said heatly.

"How do you know that I am not good for her?" Alex asked. "You don't know me that well and you are not even giving me a chance."

"I know what you want Alex. You're just like the other guys that Gin has dated. They only want to be with her for one reason and one reason only. You just want to be with her so you can shag her." Ron yelled.

Alex lower his head shaking it side to side, "THAT Ron, is the most absurd thing I have ever heard. What makes you think that is the only reason why I want to date your sister? Yes Ron, I said date. I had just asked her to go out with me when you, Harry, and Hermione came in. She was about to give me an answer when you pulled your wand at me, kinda like now. The last thing I want from Ginny is sex. I think she is a very beautiful young woman who I find very attractive and would like to spend quite a bit of time with."

Alex took a step towards Ron while continuing, "I mean her no harm and will do everything in my powers to protect her. She trusts me and I would like it as well if you would trust me. She doesn't fear me like you do. Answer me this Ron, what have I done since being here that makes me such the bad guy that you won't let me near Ginny?"

"You really wanna know?" Ron asked. As Alex nodded, Ron said "You pulled that stupid strip show on the train here. That was all I needed to see or know to know what was really your intentions for my sister."

"Ron, it was only for games and besides, if you remember correctly, Ginny dared me to take off my shirt. I have never been one to back away from a dare or a challenge. Besides, I would not have tried to shag her that fast anyway with you, Harry and Hermione sitting right there any way. I wouldn't want to embrass the two of you." Alex finshed with a smirking grin, knowing that Ron was two seconds away from hexing him.

As Ron face turned redder, Alex dropped to his knees laughing. "Ron. Mate. Relax. Please. But if it will make you feel better, hex away mate. I won't stop you. After that last remark, I guess you could say I deserve it."

After a few minutes had passed, Ron lowered his wand and knelt down next to Alex who was still on his knees and trying to stop with the laughing. "Hurt her one time, ONE TIME, and you will be answering to me and my brothers. You got that?"

Alex nodded his head in approval and he let Ron pull him back to his feet. Together, they left the dorms and went to join the others. As they came down the stairs, Alex heard Ginny telling Harry and Hermione about him asking her to go out with him and about the kiss they shared.

"Yes Miss. Weasley, I did ask you to go out with me. I would really like to know what that answer would be." Alex said as he came off the last two stairs, ignoring the deadly glaring he was getting from Ron behind his back. "So, what do you say?"

Ginny just laughed as she ran over to Alex and threw her arms around his neck, daring her brother Ron to say something. When Ron didn't respond, Ginny kissed Alex like he had kissed her earlier. Alex wrapped one arm around her waist and brought the other arm up around the back of her shoulders, kissing her tenderly. When they pulled apart, Alex rested his forehead on hers and growled so softly that only she could hear.

"Any problems that you have with my BOYFRIEND my dear brother, you can deal with me personally. You will wish that Bill had never taught me that bat-bogey hex because I will hex you so badly, even the Healers at St. Mungos won't be able to rid you of my batty friends. Got that!" Ginny said as she looked at Ron who stood on the stairs not believing his eyes.

All Ron could do was nod his head as Harry and Hermione just stood back and laughed.

As the first few months had passed, Alex was getting very much settled into his routine at Hogwarts. He attended ALL of his classes, even though he was still having his issues with not only his father but with Umbridge as well. Umbridge was furious with the fact that Dumbledore had stepped in and made it very clear to her that Alex was not to be given detention with her for her own safety. Snape on the other hand, was given the task of giving Alex detention for Umbridge. In a way, Dumbledore was trying to reconcile the estranged father and son, urging them to get along to no avail.

Alex, Harry, Ron and Ginny all four made the Quidditch team for Gryffindor and was having one of their first practices. Ron had made Keeper and was doing an outstanding job keeping. Harry had returned as the teams Seeker, with Alex as the backup Seeker providing something happened to Harry. Alex, Ginny and Angelina made up the teams chasers with Fred and George returning as the beaters. Practice was going great as Alex and Ginny were doing every thing they could to make Ron miss a goal.

Hermione sat in the benches with Luna and a fellow Ravenclaw from D.A.D.A. class, Kat O'hara. The girls were chatting away about the upcoming season even though the three girls did not play. They all three preferred to keep their feet on the ground. Hermione found through Luna that Kat was only there at the Gryffindor practice to see Harry. She also learned that Kat wasn't much of a chaser but rather wanted to be the one to be chased. Luna was trying to help her friend meet Harry through Hermione.

"You know Kat, I just might be able to help you on meeting Harry." Hermione started to say. "Seeing as we are learning absolutely nothing in Umbridge's class, we need to take things into our own hands. I have an idea for a teacher if he is willing. He knows how to do this stuff and has proved it time and time again. Just convincing Harry to teach us is the hard part. Ron and I have tried to ask him about it, but he keeps changing the subject on us."

"When he agrees to teach us, sign me up for the first meeting." Kat said smiling.

As the Quidditch practice ended, the three girls were joined by Ginny and Alex.

"You know, for a couple who have been trying to stay low-key, the two of you aren't doing it by snogging each other sensless every five minutes." Luna said in her dream like tone.

"Awww. Come on Luna. Look at them. They make such the perfect couple. Let them be and let them be young." Kat said laughing as Alex started to turn red.

"Sorry ladies. Coudn't help myself for a minute there." Alex said as he pulled Ginny closer to him. "Besides, that was the first time in over an hour I have been kissed by this beautiful witch here."

"So what's up guys? Enjoy watching us practice or did you even watch?" Ginny asked.

"Hermione was just telling us about wanting to start up our own little D.A.D.A. classes since we not learning any thing from the Toad." Kat said. "What? Hey, I'm not the only one who calls her that. I have heard it from several students already. You have to admit though, the name does fit her."

"Ron, what do you think Alex has done now to have these girls laughing?" Harry asked his best friend as they walked up to the laughing group.

Alex threw his hands up in defense and proclaimed, "I so didn't do it this time. Kat started it by calling Umbridge the Toad."

Kat sat back in her seat in the bleachers, nodding her head as the others started in on the laughing. She sat and watched Harry as he shook his head laughing, trying ot fight back the tears that were trying to break through from laughing so hard.

_He has such a beautiful laugh. I just wished he knew that and laughed more. He has the weight of the wizarding world on his shoulders. He needs to have a reason to laugh. If only I was the one who gave him that reason._ Kat thought to herself.

As Kat lost herself watching Harry, she didn't notice Alex snap his head around the moment she began to think about Harry and his laugh. If she had known that he could read minds so easily, she would have never had that thought.

As the group of friends made their way up to the castle, the sky clouded over and started to pour down rain. The seven teenagers took off in a dead sprint to get out of the pouring rain. As soon as they all got inside the castle doors, Alex silently swore to himself. He was scheduled to go for his weekly run that night. Even in his wolf form, Alex hated getting wet. There was no way he was gonna change while it was pouring down rain and his clothes getting drenched.

"Umm Harry, Ron, Alex? Would you boys mind if we walked Luna and Kat to Ravenclaw tower. I, uh, want to make sure they get there ok." Hermione said nervously. "I mean, we don't want them to slip and fall from their wet clothes. I would feel so much better if you boys walked them up."

"Wait a minute, just before it was 'we' and now it 'us boys?' What gives Hermione?" Alex asked before Ron or Harry could say anything.

"What! Am I not allowed to care for my friends' safety? I just want to see them safe to their tower. Besides, Filch is really getting bad about students walking alone now. Can we please just get them there?" Hermione said as she walked away.

_Why is it that guys have to be such pains in the arses. I am just trying to make way for Kat to have a chance with Harry, even if Harry don't know it yet. She really likes him and he doesn't even notice her. She's a great witch but no one gives her credit for what she can really do. That why I said something about starting up a D.A.D.A. group with Harry teaching us. This way Kat can get to know him better and get to spend time with him as well. _ Hermione thought to herself as she walked away to the Ravenclaw tower, with Luna and Kat in tow.

"Hermione! Hold up please. I want to speak with you." Alex called out to her as he jogged up to catch up with her. "'Would you guys please walk Luna and Kat to their house common room?"

Ron and Harry just looked at each other with confused looks on their faces but went ahead and walked the two Ravenclaws to their own house.

After the four had walked away and rounded the corner, Alex spun around and met Hermione face to face. "I know what you are trying to do and I want to help."

Hermione stared at Alex in shock, "How do you know what I am trying to do? No one knows what I'm trying to do."

"You people really need to learn how to sheild your thoughts. I can read your thoughts without trying." Alex said shaking his head, looking down at the floor. "As soon as a thought crosses someone's mind, I hear it. Right or wrong, you're trying to fix Harry up with Luna's friend Kat? That is what I heard go across your thoughts is it not?"

Hermione slowly nodded her head in acknowledgment, knowing that now her thoughts were no longer hers to hear. That thought scared her until Alex let out a barking laugh, "Relax please, your thoughts are safe. No one knows that I can hear thoughts except for a few of the staff here and Jason." With a quick glance towards Ginny, Alex smiled and whispered to Hermione "I won't tell any one that you have major feelings for Ron."

"Alight! You win. My plan was to come up with an excuse to all of a sudden leave or talk to someone in private. Do you think it will work? It was just something I threw together fast." Hermione said.

"Umm, yes and no. Part of it will work but I'm not for sure on how to sneak in a private talk though. The sudden leaving is the easiset part. Come on, let's catch up with the others to see what we can do to make this plan of yours work." Alex said as the three of them took off to catch up with the other four.

"So you can read thoughts." Ginny said as she wrapped her arm around Alex's left arm. "Do I dare ask how many of mine you have heard since being here?"

Alex laughed as he pulled his arm free from Ginny's hold and wrapped one arm around Ginny's waist and the other he drapped across Hermione's shoulders. "I have heard so many of your, umm thoughts, it not even funny. Some of them, I swear would and could make a nun blush."

Ginny turned a scarlet red while Hermione just laughed at her friends embarrassment. "Easy love, no one knows what they are or pertain to but me and you. No one will ever know unless you decide to tell them.

The three continued to laugh and joke when they finally caught up to Ron, Harry, Luna and Kat. "Time to put this plan into action." Alex mumbled to Ginny and Hermione quietly. "Follow my lead ladies and we will have Kat and Harry walking by themselves before they know it. We have three floors left."

Alex unwrapped his arm from Hermione's shoulder and tugged gently on Luna's robes. She turned just slightly to see the three newcomers and knew what was going on. "Oh my. I just realized I forgot to take a book back to the library and it is due today. I must really go and get it turned in. Ginny, would you care to come with me and keep me company as well?"

"Sure Luna, I'll go with you. You don't mind do you Alex?" Ginny said blinking her eyes up at her boyfriend.

"Go ahead." Alex said trying to bite back the laugh. "I'll see you back in the Common Room then, yes?"

With a quick nod, Ginny and Luna took off to the library to return a so-called late book, only to backtrack and take a quicker route to the Ravenclaw tower.

"Oh man! I completely forgot I have a meeting with the Headmaster I really need to get to. Sorry guys but I have to go." Alex said when he looked down at his watch. He didn't really have to go but he did have something he needed to talk to the Headmaster about. With a quick nod and a tap on his watch letting Hermione know she was slowly running out of time, Alex turned and sprinted back down the corridor to the Headmaster's office.

"Oh my is right. Ron we still have a prefect meeting we need to go to and our rounds as well. Harry, Kat sorry but we do need to leave you two." Hermione grabbed Ron by the arm and was dragging him away before he could say anything.

"Well, I guess it just you and I now Harry. That is if you don't have some place to be right now." Kat said shyly.

"Errr no, I don't. I don't mind walking you really. Just cann't see why everyone left all of a sudden. If they didn't want to walk, then they should have said so, right?" Harry said, sounding a little upset.

Kat just laughed and nodded her head. "Yes I agree with you on that. But you do have to admit, it was cute on how everyone just all of a sudden had something else they had to do right now."

As they walked to Ravenclaw Tower, Harry got to know a little more about Kat. From their talk, he found that she was from the Ireland town of Trim, located about 28 miles north-west of Dublin. Kat's parents, who were muggles, were very excited when Kat got her Hogwarts letter. Understanding some what what their daughter was going through, Kat's dad started stocking books for witches and wizards alike, as well as books for the muggles.

The building that housed the bookstore, O'hara's Old Ways and Art, was an old two story cobble brick building that was handed down in Kat's dads family for generations. The complete upper floor was set up as Kat's moms art studio. Kat's mom not only painted and sculptured, she also taught young muggles.

Kat and her parents lived in the massive two story flat that was located next door to the bookstore and art studio. After Kat was born, her parents decided that they would not have any more. They had their perfect daugher who was the center of their world. They didn't want Kat to have to fight for their attention if there was another child in the house, so Kat was their only child.

Growing up, Kat was top of her class in primary school and loved to read. She had read every book at the local library and at the primay school as well. She had even read all the books in her father's store as well. There wasn't a book out there that Kat hadn't read or didn't enjoy.

Harry also learned that although she was an avid Quidditch fan, she didn't play. Her favorite Quidditch team was one that was a minor team. The local team called themselves The Dublin Devildogs. They weren't the best but they were getting better each season.

Her fear of heights kept her tied to the ground. Kat had a bad childhood experince that lead to her fear. She was helping her mom one sunny day set up for an outdoor art class. As she was setting up some painting easels, Kat got too close to the edge and one of her feet slid off the rooftop, causing Kat to fall. If she had not reached out to grab ahold of something, she would had fallen to her death. That near death experince was all Kat needed to know that her feet were to stay on the ground.

The more they talked, Harry found himself enjoying Kat's company and really thankfull that everyone split. He had never known any one so full of life and so full of happiness like Kat was. He was enjoying their time so much, that he didn't notice that they had stopped walking and were standing in front of the Ravenclaw door.

Without warning, Kat fired off one last remark, "Harry, please reconsider Hermione's idea. We need a Defense teacher who will show us how to fight, NOT talk our way through a fight. You're the only one who knows this stuff better. We need you Harry. Please. If you agree to teach us, I will be the first to sign up for the lessons." She said with a smile.

All Harry could do was smile back and nod.

"Sure Kat, I'll give it some more thought, but no guarantees OK. Still not sure if I am the right person to teach everyone is all." He said after a few.

Harry reached for Kat's hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Thanks for the talk. I really enjoyed it. It is really nice to be able to talk to someone who is very much down to earth like yourself Kat." Harry leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her left cheek. "See ya around?"

With that, Harry turned and walked slowly away, headed back down to Gryffindor Tower to let Hermione know that he would teach others D.A.D.A.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The Room of Requirement and Pranks**

Harry made his way back to Gryffindor Tower alone. He was in such a daze that he never noticed that Alex had came up behind him. Alex quietly followed Harry back to the Common Room, listening to his brother's thoughts.

_Wow. Just a few minutes alone with Kat and Harry is almost head over heels in love with her. We get these D.A.D.A. meetings going and he really will be. They seem to make a great pair, if we can get Harry to really fall for her. After that kiss on the cheek on his own, I don't think that going to be a problem._ Alex thought to himself as he walked along.

As Alex watched Harry take the shortcut, Alex ran full sprint to reach the Gryffindor Tower first. With his speed, Alex had no problem of getting there first. Alex was just getting settled into his chair when Ron, Hermione and Ginny all filed in.

"Where's Harry?" Alex asked as they joined him at the table where he was sitting.

"I'm guessing he's not back yet then." Hermione said with a sly grin. "How did it go?"

Alex bit back the smirk and nodded. "If Kat keeps up her game, Harry will so be her's by the time we start these meetings."

"That is if Harry agrees to teach us. So far, every time the subject comes up, he changes the topic. He won't agree to it." Hermione answered.

"Oh I have every bit of confidence that Harry will say yes this time if you ask him." Alex said with a huge grin. "All that needs to be done now is set up the meeting times."

As Alex finished his remark, the portait hole opened up and Harry walked in. Harry walked over and joined the group sitting at the table and pulled up a chair to sit down.

"Hermione, I know that you have asked me several times now about teaching you guys Defense, with me saying no every time so far. I gave it some thought and I have decided to teach you guys Defense. You're right, you guys do need someone to teach you how to defend yourselves and Umbridge is not doing that." Harry said as he looked around at the table.

"Let me know when the first meeting is and sign me up. I'll come to your class Harry." Alex said, gently slapping his brother on the back.

"Let's see how many will come before we start planning anything." Harry told him. "Who knows how many will want me to teach them."

"Leave it to us mate, we'll get the word out and get some takers." Ron told him.

"Yeah leave it to us." Ginny added.

"Hermione. Ginny. Could I talk to you two ladies for a bit?" Alex asked as the common room finally started clearing out for the night. "Was wondering if I could get you ladies to help me with something."

Ginny and Hermione looked at each other and made their way over to where Alex was sitting. Alex was perched up in one of the windows overlooking the grounds. It had been raining for almost two weeks now and Alex was starting to feel the strain of not being able to change once a week like normal.

One, he was wanting to play a joke on the caretaker Mr. Filch and two, he wanted to know if there a place in the castle to where he could go so he could "be alone."

"What can we help you with Alex?" Ginny asked.

"Well, I don't want to get the twins into trouble and Filch seems to be terrified of me as it is. I was wanting to play a joke on him and wanted to see if I could get the two of you to help me with it." Alex said as the girls stood next to him.

"A joke Alex?" Hermione asked with her arms folded across her chest. "As a school Prefect, I should not even know about this. This could get you into trouble and I don't want to see you getting into trouble."

"What kind of prank are you thinking about Alex? I'll help if Hermione won't." Ginny said smiling, wanting to see Filch being pranked.

"Umm well, Hermione." Alex started to say, giving Ginny a sideways glance. Telling Hermione would be telling one of his secrets, one that only Ginny knew about. "I don't know if Ginny has told you anything about me. Ginny is the only one who knows, student wise that is, what I am. I am trusting you with this information and I must stress this point, no one else is to know."

Hermione just looked at Alex and Ginny with a confused look on her face. "Why are you telling me if no one is know?" Hermione asked Alex, only to have Ginny answer.

"Because he trusts you. For him to trust you 'Mione is a big thing. He can't trust many with his secrets but only a select few. You and I are those select few."

Ginny turned and looked at her boyfriend with a warming smile on her face. Alex smiled back at her and nodded his head, giving her the ok to tell the older witch.

"It's kinda like this, Alex, well, he's a werewolf. He has been since he was 2 1/2. Those scars we saw on the train, those were from the attack that caused him to be the way he is now. Before you freak out, he's harmless." Ginny said as she moved closer to Alex and wrapped her arms around his waist. "And might I add, he is devilishly handsome to boot."

Alex wrapped his arms around Ginny and kissed the top of her head smiling. He gave her a loving look and she gave him the same look in return.

"Ron can not know about me until I deem ready to tell him. You saw for yourself, Hermione, how he reacted awhile back when I was only sitting close to Ginny. He was ready to hex me to oblivion. Imagine how and what he would try to do to me if it were to get out that I was a young werewolf who was, in fact, dating his only sister." Alex said. "Harry can not know as well. And no, I can not give reasons on why Harry can not know. Ginny has already tried to get me to answer that and I am afraid I still can not answer that question. The time is not right for that one."

"Please 'Mione, keep this between just us three." Ginny pleaded with her friend.

Hermione only nodded her head in agreement.

"Thanks Hermione. Thanks for keeping my secret." Alex said with a smile. "So, would you like to know the prank or not?"

Both girls nodded their heads and let out a loud laugh as Alex told them of his would-be prank.

"I want to see his face when Alex pulls this prank off." Ginny said laughing, wiping the tears from her eyes.

A few days had passed since Alex and Ginny told Hermione what Alex was, and Alex told them of his prank. He also had asked about a place to where he could go inside the castle and change forms. Hermione told him of a room on the seventh floor that would change to the person's needs. Alex said he would give it a try if the rain didn't stop soon. He was pushing two weeks of not changing and his temper was becoming very short. It was a matter of time before he snapped at someone and then he wouldn't be able to hold back changing if that was to happen.

Alex was sitting at the table finishing up his Charms and Tranfiguration homework when it finally happened. A first year who had been sitting near by was getting very frustrated by all the potions homework that he had and was starting to complain loudly. He griped and carried on for about ten minutes when Alex spun around in his chair and flat out told the youngster to "shut the hell up." The poor first year all but jumped out of his seat when Alex yelled at him and tears welled up in the boy's eyes.

Alex sat there trying to calm himself to no avail. He had already waited too long and he could feel the change coming. He tried gripping the side of his chair but the armrests only snapped off in his hands. Ginny seeing what her boyfriend was going through, raced over to Alex's side to see if she could help calm him down.

Alex leaped out of his chair when Ginny touched his arm. With his skin starting to tighten, any touch hurt him.

"Back off!" He growled at her. "Don't touch me."

"Alex, please, let me help." Ginny said in a low voice. "Come with me. Let's 'go for a walk', using the code pharse that her, Alex and Hermione came up with the other night. Using that phrase meant that Alex would be going up to the seventh floor to the Room of Requirement to change, since it was still pouring down rain.

Ginny lead Alex from Common Room and ran all the way to the seventh floor, with Alex hot on her heels. Ginny skidded to a halt in front of the wall where the door was to be. Alex leaned up against the wall across from the "doorway" and waited.

"Gin, hurry. I cann't hold back much longer." Alex pleaded.

With a quick nod, Ginny began pacing back and forth in front of the empty wall, repeating three times in her mind what she wanted the room to become.

_I need a place full of woods and animals to hunt for Alex._

_I need a place full of woods and animals to hunt for Alex._

_I need a place full of woods and animals to hunt for Alex._

After the third pass, Ginny heard the popping sound of the doorway appearing. She opened her eyes and saw the door opening up for her. Alex raised his head and saw the door opening up and without waiting for Ginny, he rushed by her into the room that was now full of woods.

No sooner had Alex entered the "woods," he was feverishly pulling off his clothes and tossing them to the side. Once he had rid his body of all of his clothes, he dropped to the ground on his hands and knees. He lower his head between his shoulder blades and arched his back just time to feel his body rushing the change. He let out a painful scream as the change came fast and hard.

Ginny had closed the door when she followed Alex in and watched as Alex pulled his clothes off and dropped to the ground. She carefully gathered his clothes and placed them in a neat pile and was about to gather his boots when he let out a scream that made her jump. She watched in horror as Alex transformed from the handsome man that he was to massive greyish-blonde wolf that she had first encountered a few months ago by the lake.

After a few minutes had passed, Alex slowly raised himself up from the ground. He blinked his eyes a few times, letting them adjust to the change and went through his post-change procedures. The first thing he checked after getting his sight adjusted was his back. Alex stretched his back, listening to the vertebra pop into place. He then stretched both his back legs, stretching out the muscles that were stiff from not running. He followed that up by stretching out his front legs the same way as his back legs.

The next thing that Alex tested out was his jaws. He opened and closed his jaws as if he was yawning, letting out a soft howl in the process. He rotated his ears, getting them adjusted to the sounds of nature that was abundant in his new surroundings. He flexed his paws in the dirt beneath him, letting the dirt cover his feet. The last thing to check was his tail. He turned and looked back at his tail, watching it swish back and forth, rubbing against his hind quarters.

He crouched down as if to pounce, but only to jump straight up in the air. As he jumped, he twisted his wolf body and did a full barrel roll in mid-air. He landed with a soft thud and as soon as his feet hit the ground, he proceded to chase his tail, spinning round and round. When he stopped spinning, Alex had the tip of his tail between his teeth, proud of his accomplishment. He let go of his tail when he heard a soft giggle. Alex spun around and started growling at his intruder, only to find it to be Ginny, watching over him.

"Having fun I take it?" Ginny said holding her side, now laughing so hard she couldn't stand any longer and sank to the ground.

Alex stood there staring at Ginny with his emerald green eyes. Without warning, Alex tore off through the woods as fast as he could run. He tested out his nose as he ran through the woods, picking up on a trail of a rabbit. As he ran, the rabbit whose trail Alex had picked up, turned and started running back towards Ginny. Alex hit his brakes and turned a 180 and tore after the rabbit again.

As Ginny came back into view the rabbit slowed down, not knowing which way to run. It's slowing down was all Alex needed in order to catch his snack. Alex sank his teeth squarely into the rabbits back, causing it to squeal loudly. With one violent shake of his head, the squealing from the rabbit stopped. Just for good measure, Alex sank his teeth even further into the rabbit causing it's blood to to spray Alex in the face.

Alex dropped the rabbit and shook his head to get the warm liquid out of his eyes. As Alex lowered himself down to the ground to enjoy his snack, he heard Ginny stop laughing and get quiet. He smiled inwardly to himself. _Now she gets to see me how I am in all my wolf glory._

"Awww man. Do you HAVE to eat that in front of me Alex. That is completely revolting." Ginny said, turning her head, trying not to watch as Alex tore into the rabbit, ripping the flesh and meat from it's bones. Ginny shuddered at the sound of the rabbit's bones breaking under the strength of her boyfriend's jaws.

Alex finished up his snack and was watching Ginny out of the corner of his eye. He had to time this just right to get the maximum effect that he was wanting. While Ginny had her head turned, Alex sprang towards her. Ginny was sitting on the ground and was in the perfect position for him to pounce on her.

As Ginny turned around to face Alex, she was met by the huge wolf flying through the air and landing on top of her. Ginny fell back at the wieght of Alex jumping on her. She let out a shriek that was met by Alex licking her entire face.

"ALEX!" Ginny yelled as she started laughing. "That was uncalled for."

Alex continued to lick Ginny's face as she started gasping for air from laughing so hard. Alex stopped, pulled his head back and stared down at his girlfriend. He locked his eyes with Ginny's and lost himself in her gaze.

_Merlin, she is so beautiful. There is nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for her. How did I get so lucky to get to be with her. I would gladly give my life for her. She is my life mate, that I am certain of._

Ginny laid on the ground and stared back up at the wolf stradling her. As she slowly raised her hand to stroke it fur, Alex lower his head and growled softly at her. She dropped her hand back to the ground and watched as Alex slowly lowered himself on top of her, covering her with his wolf body.

Ginny smiled as she felt Alex as he laid on top of her. His fur was soft to the touch when he finally allowed her to touch him. She gently stroked his fur, from the top of his head to about the middle of his back. He gently laid his head on her chest, with his nose inches from her chin. His two front paws were tucked under her shoulders and his hind feet had her hips pinned together, and his tail drapped between her legs, reaching down to her knees.

Ginny wrapped both her arms around him in a loving embrace and kissed the top of his muzzle.

"I love you, you know that right?" Ginny asked him.

Alex let out a soft barking howl and nodded his head. He brushed his muzzle against her neck and gave a soft sigh. He knew that she loved him and he hoped that she knew that he loved her in return.

"As much as I do love you Alex, I cann't. I cannt' be with you like this. No offense love, but I prefer the one on one human thing if you know what I mean." Ginny said, trying to keep a straight face. "I want to be with you but only in your human form. Shagging you in your wolf form wouldn't be right."

Alex raised his head and gave Ginny a soft kiss on the neck and raised himself off of her. He lower his head between his shoulder blades slightly and closed his eyes.

A few minutes later, Alex rolled to his left and collasped on the ground panting. He laid on his bare back trying to catch his breathe after changing. That was one of the things he did hate about being a werewolf, the feeling weak after a change. As he laid there, gathering his strength, he felt a soft gentle touch on his bare chest. He slowly turned his head and saw Ginny staring at him through his half-closed eyes.

"Gimme a few please. I need to regain my strength." He whispered softly. He turned his head upwards and covered his eyes and head with both his arms. He had is right knee bent with his right foot flat on the ground while his left leg was stretched straight out, his normal position for his after change back to human.

A few minutes had passed when he finally reached out to his left where he knew Ginny last was. When he reached out, his hand found its target. Ginny was laying next to him still, but as he ran his hand over her, he noticed that she was minus her clothes. While he was recovering from changing back to human, Ginny removed her clothes, ready to give herself to Alex.

When Alex's hand touched nothing but bare skin, everything in him came alive once again. As he rolled to his left side, he could feel himslef getting very aroused at the sight of Ginny laying naked by his side. He propped his head up with his left hand, resting on his elbow and caressed the side of her face with his right. Ginny reached out to cup his face with her hand and pulled him to her.

Alex let himself be pulled to Ginny without fighting it. If Ginny was willingly giving herself to him, who was he to fight it. Even though he would never admit to anyone, he was letting Ginny control the relationship and how far they went. If she was ready for him to take her, he would let her make the first move. And make the first move she did.

Ginny pulled him to her and kissed his lips lightly. Alex returned the kiss with a little more passion. As he caressed her bottom lip with his tongue, she parted her lips to allow him more access to her mouth. When the moan escaped from her mouth, Alex slid his right hand down and rested it just below her bellybutton. Once he was done preforming the contraception charm on her, he did the charm on himself as well.

Alex pulled his head back to break the kiss and to look into Ginny's eyes. The only look he found in her eyes was one of passion and of love. He gave her a gentle smile and kissed the tip of her nose.

- (edit here & down) -

Ginny snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her once again.

"Take me Alex." she whispered to him. "Take me now and make me yours. I only want to be with you and to be only yours."

As Alex nodded his head, Ginny wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him once again to her.

"I'll be as gentle as I can. I don't want to hurt you. Please tell me if it hurts as all and I will stop." he said to her as he came down on her slowly.

He felt her tense and arch her back as he entered her for the first time. He kept his eyes locked on her face, watching for any sign of pain. One of the things his brothers Dalton and Nick had told him was that when he took a mate for the first time or any time, to keep his eyes open and to watch her face for any signs of pain. The reason being, they told him, was that male werewolves had the tendicy to be bigger than a normal human male and therefore, they could hurt their female mate alot easier and quicker than a average human male. Hurting Ginny was the last thing he wanted to do, and he figured if anyone would know more about sex, it would most certainly be those two.

The only look Alex was seeing on Ginny's face was one of pure pleasure. For being his first time, Alex must have been doing something right. Every few minutes, Ginny would let out a passion filled moan and she would tighten her legs around his waist. Her hands had moved from the back of his hair to his back, and she would dig her fingernails into his back and let out a moan.

Alex lowered his head and planted soft, gentle kisses down the side of her neck and nibbled very gently on her ear lobe. Ginny turned her head towards Alex and buried her face into his shoulder.

_Oh sweet Merlin!_ Ginny thought to herself, forgetting all about ALex's ability to hear people's thoughts. _Alex most certainly knows what he is doing. I have never been with anyone that makes me feel this good. Hell, I've never been with anyone period. Merlin's beard, he feels good. I would have wanted him to take me sooner if it hadn't been for Ron following us around for the longest time. I'm glad Hermione got him to back off finally. _

Ginny tilted her head beack met Alex's gaze. _SHIT! I forgot he hears thoughts._ Ginny smiled up at Alex as he let out a small laugh.

"Forgot about that did you?" he asked.

Ginny nodded her head just as a wave of ecstacy came over her. Alex felt her back arch and a moan that he had never heard from her, escaped from her lips.

The last thing that came from her mouth was his name as she cried out his name and she felt her body shudder as if she was chilled. She felt him tense up and saw his eyes squint to an almost close. When he finished inside her, he slowly lower himself down on her, propping himself up on his elbows. With one hand, he gently wiped the sweat beads from her forehead. Through out the entire love-making session, Alex never once broke a sweat.

That was another thing Dalton and Nick had told him. When it came time for his first mating, he was to take things slow. If he rushed it, it would not only be over before he got any pleasure from it, he would also have to work harder for it, causing him to sweat more. If he took it slow and steady, he would get more plaesure as well as his mating partner. She would benefit as well from him going slow, giving her time to reach her peak and finish. If done right, Alex and whoever his first partner was would finish about the same time.

Alex gently lower his head and placed a gentle kiss on Ginny's lips.

"Thank you." he said softly to her. "You are my first, last and only partner. From the day we first met, my heart only knew of one person, you. I cann't see myself with anyone else. I will follow you to the end of this earth if you asked me too."

"You would really do that, for me?" Ginny asked him.

"Yeah, I would. I would also protect you with my life. I would rather die than have you get hurt. That why I jumped my brother Nick that day by the lake. Nick only chases girls for one thing, sex. That's all he cares about. That was also why he came sniffing at you, he picked up your scent as being unmated. He wanted to claim you for himself but I couldn't let him."

"Oh my sweet werewolf." Ginny whispered. "So kind and so caring."

Ginny placed a soft kiss on Alex's lips and pressed her forehead against his.

Alex smiled and kissed the tip of her nose and slowly lifted himself fully off of her. He didn't want to pull out of Ginny too fast and hurting her. He sat on the ground next to her and reached for his clothes and hers. Ginny slowly sat up next to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Alex handed her her clothes as he started dressing himself. Ginny removed her arms as she accepted her clothes from Alex and proceded to get dressed herself.

As she was buttoning up her jeans, a scary thought crossed her mind. Before she could voice it, Alex started laughing.

"No worries Gin, I took care of that before we started. It is and was the strongest contraception charm I know of. Remus taught it to me a couple of years ago, when I first turned into a teenager. He promised me that if I used it, there was no way I would impregnate my mate unless we were both ready." Alex told her as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Was that why you placed your hand on my lower abdomen? You were doing the charm." Ginny said nodding her head.

"Yeah I was. I not only placed it on you, but I placed it on myself as well. Did you by chance feel a sudden warmness come over you there?"

"Yeah I did."

"Good, then it worked. I wanted to ask you when I did the charm but I didn't want to alarm you by failing to do it right."

Ginny laughed as pulled Alex into another passionate kiss. Kissing him always made him stop rambling, which he was prone to do when he got nervous. Luckly for her, she knew how to put a stop to it.

"Come on Gin, we need to be heading back. I don't need to give Ron a reason to kill me. It is bad enough he knows you and I took off without warning. You do realize that we are in for a ton of questions from Ron and Hermione. Harry, I don't think he going to care too much. His mind is more on Kat at the moment, and I don't hink he even saw us leave."

Ginny took Alex's outstretched hand and together they walked back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

- (end edit) -

"Wonder where the bloody hell they took off too?" Ron asked. "What the hell is up with Alex and his foul mood too? Never seen him that snappy before."

Hermione got a nervous look to her but kept her promise to Alex, "Maybe it just stress from Potions. You know he still having problems with Professor Snape still. Still cann't believe that he goes after Alex every chance he gets. I mean I know he was bad with Harry, but now he is just totally going after Alex full force. Harry messed up the other day in potions and Professor Snape blew it off like it was nothing."

"Hermione, your rambling. What do you know that none of us know?" Ron asked her. "Besides, haven't Alex and my sister been gone long enough? He better not had tried anything with her. If he has, I'll make him sorry."

"Oh really? You're going to make my boyfriend sorry are you if he tried anything with me?" Ginny said, causing Ron to jump out of his seat. "And what if I was the one to try something with him. Are you going to make me sorry?"

"That not what I meant." Ron said, picking himself up off the floor. "Where and when did you two come back?"

"Just now." Alex said as he held out a hand to help pull Ron to his feet. "Like your sister said, if anything happens, it is all her doing not mine."

Ginny turned and faced her boyfriend with both hands on her hips. "Want to continue down this path Alex or do you want to stop?"

Alex turned to face his girlfriend and raised his hand in submission. "That wasn't meant like that I swear. I just meant that I wasn't gonna make a move in our relationship unless I knew that was what you wanted."

"That had better be all you meant." Ginny said glaring at Alex.

"Since the two of you are back, Hogsmeade trip next weekend. Wanted to see about having the first meeting for the "study group" then and wanted your opinions." Hermione said, still laughing at the scolding Alex had just recieved from Ginny.

Alex just stood back with his hands stuffed deep into his pockets and looked to Ginny to answer. He caught a glimpse of Ron and Harry both smirking at the way Ginny already had him "whipped."

"It only going to get worse for you Alex." Ron said now doubled over in a laughing fit. "Never knew my sister could control a guy as fast as she does with you. You must really care for Ginny to let her control you like that."

"As long as it is Ginny who is controling me, I don't care mate." Alex said with a grin on his face.

"Yes Hermione, next weekend sounds great for the first meeting. We'll all be there." Ginny said blushing.

"Oh Alex, I have some thing for you, now that you are back." Hermione said, trying to bite back the laughter at her friend. "I did some 'work' on that certain project you asked me to help you with and I think I have it down right for you."

Alex's face lit up with the biggest grin as he pulled Ginny and Hermione back out through the portait hole to find Filch. Ron and Harry looked at each other with equally confused looks and followed the three out. They caught up with the three teenagers as they entered the Charms classroom.

As Ron and Harry got closer, the door opened and they saw Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, go running out the door and down the corridor. As they watched the cat flee for it's life, a massive wolf came barreling out of the classroom right behind it. Students that were in the corridor jumped out of the massive wolf's way and cheered it on as it continued to give chase to the pesky cat. As the conjured fake cat ran up the stairs, Alex in his wolf form paced himself for the right moment to pounce on the made-up cat.

As the cat and Alex rounded the corner, Filch came around the far corner at the end of the long corridor at the same time. When he saw his "cat" being chased by the massive wolf, he tried to run as fast as he could to save his cat. Just as the cat went to leap up towards Filch's waiting arms, Alex leaped at the same time, sinking his teeth into the middle of the cat's back. The momentum from the jump propelled Alex over Filch's head and he landed behind Filch with a soft thud.

The students that were able to watch the chase, cheered as the wolf used the cat as a four-legged chew toy. They all laughed as they watched the wolf toss the cat into the air and catch it just before it hit the floor. Alex used the walls a few times as a springboard and leap through the air catching the cat time and time again. Filch watched on in horror as his beloved "cat" was being tortured by a massive werewolf, only not realizing that the cat that Alex was toying with an excellent conjured copy of his beloved cat. As Filch cried hysterically, the real Mrs. Norris came trotting up to her master, meowing to him to pick her up and hold her.

Filch stopped with the hysterics and glared at the massive wolf who was sitting now on his rear hunches, holding the imposter cat in his mouth. "I WILL HAVE YOU THROWN OUT OF HERE FOR THIS. JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE!"

Filch turned and stormed away, furious that he had been pranked once again by a student. As Alex turned to walk away, he turned and ran into Professor McGonagall.

"The Headmaster's office. NOW!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Christmas Away Part 1**

Alex made his way back to Gryffindor Tower after another long night of detention. Every since his prank on Filch, he had been doing detention. He had became like an icon and a hero to a lot of the students. Sure Filch had been pranked before, but never to the extent of what Alex did. A month had already passed and students were still asking him what it was like to be an "animagi", a witch or wizard who can take form of an animal at will. Alex just chuckled to himself, if they only knew the truth.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team was still celebrating their huge win over the Slytherins. Alex, on the other hand, had no sooner landed on the ground and rushed off to do his detentions with Filch. Until his two months worth of detentions were done, Alex's evenings were going be extremely busy.

Everyone turned out for the first match of the school year to watch the rivialry between the houses come alive on the Quidditch pitch. Angelina was very impressed with Alex's chaser abilities. Alex alone scored 250 points himself. Ginny and Angelina scored 100 points each with Harry getting the snitch for 150 and to end the game, giving Gryffindor 600 points even to Slytherin's 200 points. It was one of the largest win margins in school history.

Alex joined the party that was still going full blast. He spent most of the party dancing with Ginny or Hermione. A few times he was able to get Ginny off to the side for a brief snogging session until one of her brothers came and broke them apart. After George interrupted them for the last time, Ginny gave her brothers and the rest of the house a stern warning, "back off or else."

Alex made him a seat in the window over looking the grounds and pulled Ginny into his lap. Ginny positioned herself to where she was sitting firmly between Alex's legs and had her back resting on his chest and had her head on his left shoulder.

"So, when do I get to know more about you?" Ginny asked as they watched the others party on.

"What would you like to know?"

"Why do you not get along with Professor Snape?" she asked, feeling her boyfriend tense up at the mention of the professor's name.

"Long story for another time. As much as I want to tell you, that is one secret I am bound to take to the grave with me. Sorry love, but that I just cann't tell you." Alex said with a sigh.

"Ok, then why are you so protective of Harry and not wanting him on some secrets?

Alex sat there for a minute, thinking over how he was going to answer that. Alex looked down at his girlfriend and gave her a weak smile. "That has to be your favorite question. You ask me that every time we have these talks."

"I was hoping for a better answer than the last ones. Come on Alex, it me. I have kept your "first secret" this quiet for this long. No one here besides Hermione knows that you're not an animagi. So fess up wolf boy, I want to know. I not letting you off the hook this time."

Alex glanced down at Ginny and lower his head to whisper into her ear. He drew back his head in time to see Ginny's eyes grow larger than ever. Ginny just sat there in a daze staring at Alex.

"But...but...but." Ginny tried to say. "How?"

"Ginny please, not a word. Not even to Hermione. This is one that I really need you to swear upon not to tell a soul. It could be disasterous if it got out that Harry and I are brothers. No one can know. Not just yet any way." Alex said in a quiet voice.

Ginny nodded her head in silence and wrapped her arms around Alex's neck, pulling him down to her and resuming the snogging session from earlier. Ginny wiggled closer to Alex when she felt him try to pull back, causing him to emit a soft growl, letting her know that they were know pushing the bountries. Ginny answered his growl by kissing him harder and refusing to stop. Without looking, Alex silently thought in his head and conjured a thick blanket, in which he covered him and Ginny both with. Alex placed his hand on Ginny's abdomen, performing the spell on her and performing the spell on himself. Alex then did a combination of charms, warding off others while silencing his and Ginny's "activities", all the while making it look like they were sitting there just talking. After the charms were done and one last peek at the party, Alex turned his attention to Ginny and took her once more.

Alex was in his dormitory room that he shared with Harry, Ron, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, and Dean Thomas. He had just finished his last detention with Filch and was packing his bag for the Christmas holiday. He had been meaning to get it packed, but he found spending time with Ginny more important. For the first time since September, Alex was finally getting to go home to Stonecastle. As much as he enjoyed running the woods of the Forbidden Forest, it was nothing compared to the woods of the Pack home.

And as much as he was looking forwards to going home for a few weeks, it was going to be a few weeks away from Ginny, something he didn't know if he was going to be able to do. Since they started dating, the most they had been away from the other was classes and at night in their own beds in their own dorm rooms. As Alex thought of how he was to survive without Ginny, that very red head entered the room.

"Hey Wolf boy, almost done packing?" Ginny said as she wrapped her arms around his neck when Alex turned around to greet his girlfriend.

"Almost done. Not taking very much stuff, don't really need to. I just taking the important stuff. A few books and some pictures the Creevey boys took." Alex said, placing a soft kiss on Ginny's forehead. "I'm going to miss you, you know. Jay is going to have his hands full with me. We've been apart other than our classes. Promise me that you will look after Harry for me until we get back here. Don't let him do any thing stupid."

"I'll do my best Alex." Ginny said, her eyes starting to tear up. She was already hating the fact that they were going to be so far apart for their first holiday together. "I wish there was some way Jason could let you come to the Burrow for at least a few days before we come back. Just promise me that you'll be carefull and not get hurt."

"I promise." Alex said as he placed a kiss on her lips.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione and the others are already headed to the last meeting before Christmas. Harry wants to go over a few things before we all leave. We cann't be late for this." Ginny said as she pulled away for a few.

Alex nodded as he took her hand and they headed down to their last D.A.D.A. meeting.

Alex and Ginny were the last few to arrive. A total of about twenty students gathered once, if not twice a week to have Harry teach them how to defend themselves. They had been meeting for the past two months in secret, which was driving Professor Umbridge up the wall. There was nothing she could do to stop the students from meeting as hard as she tried. Every thing that Umbridge tired, Dumbledore blocked. He for one was glad to see the students wanting to defend themselves. He even had to chuckle when he heard what the group called themselves, Dumblefore's Army (DA for short).

As everyone gathered around, Harry stood in the middle of the group. He raised his hand to quiet everyone.

"Since this is our last meeting before holiday, I just wanted to say that you all have done an outstanding job. You all should be very proud of yourselves for the great work you have all done. Untill we meet again, I just want you all to work on sheilds and defensive/offensive spells. Pair up one on one and take turns." Harry said as the group stood and started splitting into pairs. Harry looked over his shoulder to where Alex and Ginny were getting ready to practice.

"I wanted to give Alex a break from being our test dummy. Alex, thank you so much for putting up with everyone attacking you. I don't know how you do or did it mate." He said as he walked over to where Alex was standing. "I have never met another wizard who is so willingly to take the attacks that you have."

Alex just nodded as he put up his sheild and Ginny began to throw whatever curse she could at him to weaken his sheild. Alex just smiled to himself knowing that no matter what spell ginny threw at him, nothing was getting past his sheild, which made Ginny more determined to get a spell threw Alex's sheild.

Harry walked around the class as he watched and monitored everyone's work. He had to smile inward as he approached Kat and Cho Chang. They had paired up and Cho was trying to get through Kat's sheild to no avail. What ever sheild Kat was using, it was twice as strong as the normal protection shield. After watching them for a few, Harry had Kat and Cho switch rolls. As Kat got ready to cast her first spell at Cho, Harry walked over to her.

"Hold your arm more like this and your wand more like that. This way you have more control over not only the spell, but your wand as well." Harry told her. Kat nodded her head and proceded to aim a hex at Cho. Cho missed getting her shield up in time and fell to the floor laughing. Harry preformed the counter-spell and helped Cho to her feet.

"Maybe you should try having your shield up BEFORE Kat tries to hex you." Harry said, trying to hold back his laugh. "Try it again ladies."

As Harry turned to move out of the way, he missed the look that Cho gave him and the look Kat was giving Cho. He didn't notice that when he helped Cho up off the floor, her hand lingered longer on his arm than it should had. Kat for one, didn't miss it. Seeing Cho trying to warm up to Harry woke up the sleeping beast in her. Cho had no sooner got into her stance before Kat let loose on a series of spells, all of which Cho caught square to the chest.

"KAT!" Harry yelled as he ran over and took her wand away from her. "Bloody hell, what was that for?"

Everyone that was practicing stopped and went over to check on Cho to make sure that she was ok. A few stood back and helped Harry with Kat and tried to calm her down. Luna stood between the two girls and said to Cho in her dreamy like tone, "You know Cho, you really shouldn't mess with another witch's man. I believe Harry has been claimed. You had your chance last year but chose Cedric over Harry. You should be glad that all Kat did to you."

"Sorry Harry. I don't know what came over me." Kat said as he handed her back her thirteen and half inches long dragon heartstring core, cedar wand. Kat refused to take her eyes off of Cho until Alex stepped in front of her to block her view.

"Let it go Kat. You got her good. I think she will be crazy not to forget it. Go walk it off and calm down." Alex told her.

Luna, Hermione, and Ginny all took Kat by the arm and lead her to the opposite of the room, away from Cho. Alex and Harry turned their attention back to Cho. Alex walked over and held out his hand to help the witch to her feet.

"You alright?" he asked her as she pulled herself to a standing position.

"Yes." Cho answered in almost a whisper. "I didn't mean anything by it, really I didn't.

"I'm not the one you should tell that too. And right now, I really don't think you want to be near Kat. She just might hex you all over again. wait until after the holidays and then tell her. Give her some time to cool off. And if I were you Cho, I'd stay away from Harry like Luna said. I do believe Kat has put her claim on Harry and I happen to know that he cares for her alot." Alex told her, watching Harry cross the room to check on Kat. "He cares a great deal for her, even if he is too stubborn to admit it. And if you havn't noticed these past two months, they been spending alot of their free time talking and hanging out. I do think it is a matter of time before he finally asks her out. They both deserve to be happy."

Cho nodded her head and went to stand with some of her Hufflepuff friends and the Ravenclaw guys.

After things had settled down, Harry called everyone's attention.

"Everyone has done an outstanding job. Let's call it a night and let's meet again after the holiday. I will let everyone know of the date and time. Keep practicing the shields and the disarming spells. Good luck and Happy Christmas everyone." Harry told them

As everyone started to leave, Harry called Kat over to him.

"I just wanted to talk to you before you left for Christmas." Harry said with a smile.

"Sure, what's up."

Alex, Ron, Ginny and Hermione were all sitting in front of the fireplace in the Common Room when Harry finally came through the portait hole. Alex glanced over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of his brother and to find that Harry had an ear to ear goofy grin plastered on his face. Alex laid his head back and laughed.

"What's with the goofy grin Harry?"

Harry just looked at his brother and grinned even bigger, causing Alex and the others to laugh.

"If I didn't know better Alex, I would say _Kat's_ got his tongue." Ginny responding causing everyone to laugh even harder and making Harry blush a little.

"Why Ginny, I do believe you're right. Could it be that a certain Ravenclaw has now fully gotten the attention of great Harry Potter?" ALex said as he stood and walked over to Harry. "Harry? Just nod your head yes or no, seeing how your voice has suddenly disappeared."

Harry just looked at Alex grinning and nodded his head in agreement.

"Did you finally buck up the courage and asked Kat to go out with you?"

Harry grinned and nodded his head yes.

"Did you kiss her?"

Harry just grinned bigger and nodded yes again.

"Bloody hell." Ron said to himself, earning himself a sharp elbow to the ribs from Hermione. "Sorry." he muttered as he rubbed his ribs.

Herimone and Ginny both squealed and jumped off the couch and wrapped their arms around Harry, giving him a hug that could rival one from Mrs. Weasley. Alex stood back and laughed at his brother's predictament.

"Just treat her well Harry." Alex told him. "Night guys, see you in the morning for the train ride."

Kat slowly climbed the stairwell to Ravenclaw tower. Her mind kept dancing back to the kiss that her and Harry had shared once everyone had left to go back to their dorms.

As soon as the last person left and the door closed, Harry turned and faced Kat and asked her to go out with him so fast that she had to have him repeat it. He had asked her so fast, she couldn't make out the words at all. When she understood what he was asking her, all she could do was wrap her arms around him in a tight embrace. Harry had pulled back just enough to allow himself to lower his head and kiss her gently on the lips. It was only a soft kiss, but to Kat, a kiss was a kiss.

Kat made her way to the girl's dorm and found Cho standing next to her bed, making sure everything was packed and in order for her to leave the next morning. Cho looked up as Kat reached her bed.

"Cho, listen. About earlier. I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to throw so many hexes at you like that. I was just caught off guard by my emotions. I really like Harry and I felt you were trying to make a move on him as well." Kat said quickly.

Cho put up her hands to stop Kat from going on any farther. "Kat, really, it's ok. I understand. I see the way he looks at you and the way you look at him during these meetings. I was wrong to try to come in between the two of you. Harry deserves to be happy and I can see that he is very happy with you. There is no need for you to say sorry to me. I should be the one apologize to you. I promise you, I will never do that again."

"You just remember that." Kat said smirking.

"Let's go!" Ron called up the stairs to the girl's dorm. "All the carriages will be gone if you two don't hurry up. I don't want to miss the train."

Harry and Alex sat back and watched as Ron paced the floor in front of the stairs leading up to the girls dorm. The more Ron paced back and forth, the more Alex and Harry laughed silently to themselves. As Ron paused and turned to holler up at Hermione and Ginny, the two witches came down the stairs at last with their bags.

"About bloody time." Ron exclaimed as he rushed forwards to the stairs, grabbing Herimone and Ginny's bags.

Ginny walked over and put her arms around Alex's waist, laying her head on his chest.

"I'm going to miss you." she said softly.

"I know, I'll miss you too. We'll be back here before we know it." Alex whispered into her hair.

The group headed out the Common Room and made their way to the main doors of the castle. As they got to the main doors, they met up with Kat and Luna and the happy group of friends made their trek to Hogsmeade by carriage, talking eagerly of the upcoming holiday.

Once on the train, they managed to find a compartment towards the rear of the train that was empty. All three couples were able to sit together and settled into a game of Exploding Snap. After numerous games of Snap and wizard's chess, they all settled down and took a brief nap as the train rolled through the British countryside. Alex was the first to awake as he felt the slight difference in the speed of the train.

He shook Ginny gently to wake her. When the gentle shake didn't work, he lower his head and placed a warm kiss on her lips. Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him back.

"Wake up sleepy head." He told her.

"Ugh. Do I have too?" she replied back.

"Yeah. In fact, we all do. We'll be at the station in a few." he told her as he reached over and shook Harry and Kat. Ginny got up and reached across the aisle and woke her brother and her best friend up. As the six teenagers woke up fully, the train pulled into the station. They grabbed their bags from the overhead rack and left the train, fighting their way across the platform and through the barrier. Harry had already made his arrangements for Christmas and he was headed to the Burrow with the Weasleys.

The first ones through the barrier was Ron and Hermione, who were greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Both sets of parents rushed over to greet their children. Hermione introduced Ron to her parents as her boyfriend, which earned her approving looks from Molly and Arthur. While they were talking to Hermione's parents, Harry and Kat came through the barrier next.

Kat lead him over to meet her parents for the first time. Aileen and Connor O'Hara were very pleased to meet Harry and were greatly impressed with his manners. As Harry met with Kat's parents, he learned more about them. Her dad Connor, was a former pilot for the RAF, who served for seven years before an injury sidelined him. He was flying in the middle of the first Gulf War and had his plane shot down. He was able to get out of the plane safely but his chute didn't open like it was supposed to, causing him to shatter both ankles on his landing. While his wife Aileen painted, he started the bookstore five years before Kat was born.

Kat's dad offered to take Harry up in the family plane one day if he wanted. At the mention of airplanes, Mr. Weasley walked over to greet Harry, Kat, and her parents. Everyone soon was joined in talking with Kat's parents and didn't see Alex and Ginny come through the barrier.

Alex looked around to see if he could pick up any familiar scents, and he had to smile to himself when he picked up Jason's scent, along with Tony. Nick, Terri, and Dalton were back at Stonecastle getting things ready for Alex's holiday break. Jason and Tony greeted both Alex and Ginny as they made their way from the barrier.

As Jason went to greet Ginny, he couldn't help but pick up Alex's scent on her. As he gave her a small hug, he gave Alex a knowing look. Catching the look that Jason was giving Alex, Tony laughed and slapped Alex on the back.

"Looks like you've 'enjoyed' yourself so far Alex." Tony said with a smirking grin.

Alex could only give Tony a warning glare as Ron and his parents made their way over to where Alex and Ginny were. When Tony gave him a questioning look, Ginny pulled Tony to her and whispered into his ear, telling him that her brothers and parents didn't know about Alex and her being intimate with each other and to keep quiet about it.

"Listen guys, as much as Alex would love to stay and chat with you all, he really needs to get going. His flight back to the States leaves in an hour and he needs to be there early." Jason told the group that had now gathered around. "He'll see you all again in two weeks."

Hermione and Kat both walked over and gave Alex a goodbye hug and told him to enjoy his holiday. Ron and Harry just shook his hand and told him to be carefull. Last to say goodbye was Ginny, and Alex could tell by the look on her face she didn't want to let him go. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and refused to let go. Alex wrapped his arms around her as well as he kissed the top of her head.

"I'll be ok." He whispered to her to. "Don't worry about me, you know what I can do. You just be safe and take care of Harry for me. I'll see you in two weeks."

Alex pulled away from Ginny and started to walk away to the car that Jason had waiting. As he got to the car, he dropped his bag on the ground and in a dead run, he ran back to Ginny. He swooped her up in his arms and kissed her with all the passion he could. He could hear gasps coming from passerbyers but he didn't care. The only thing that mattered to him was the girl in his arms and her legs wrapped around his waist, not wanting to let him go.

"GINERVA WEASLEY! THAT IS NOT PROPER BEHAVIOR FOR A YOUNG LADY!" Mrs. Weasley yelled, causing her only daughter and Alex to break from their kiss. Ginny pressed her forehead against Alex's and let out a sigh.

_This is going to be one bloody long two weeks._ Ginny thought as Alex nodded his head in agreement.

"Guess this means you have to go." Alex said as he looked over his shoulder to look at Jason who was tapping his watch, trying to hurry Alex along before they missed their flight. "Looks like I have to go as well."

Alex put Ginny back on the ground and walked back to the car where Jason and Tony were now waiting for him with the doors open. As he put one foot in, he turned andlooked back at his new friends. With a sigh, Alex climbed into the car and closed the door. As Tony pulled away from the curb, Alex turned in his seat to watch his friends get smaller and smaller. This was going to be a long Christmas break and already Alex felt lost without Ginny by his side. How was he to manage two weeks without her?

It had been three days since Ginny saw Alex at King's Cross and it had been three days since she set foot out of her room. She sat up in her window and stared out across the yard. The tray of food that Hermione had brought up earlier that afternoon still sat on her desk untouched. She had no appetite and refused to eat.

Everything anyone did to bring Ginny out of the depressed mood she was in only made her more depressed and they were met with a door being magicaly slammed in their faces. No one knew what to do for her and they all decided to just let her be.

It upset Molly Weasley to no end to see her daughter this upset and this depressed. As soon as they all had gotten to the Burrow, Hermione was pulled into the study with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to explain what had happened at the train station. Hermione told them about Alex and Ginny dating from the first week of school and have been insepratable ever since. They spent their every waking moment near each other.

After the talk with Hermione, Arthur went over to the fireplace and made an urgent floo call.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Christmas Away Part 2**

Alex dropped his bag off at the foot of his bed and went to his dresser and changed out of the jeans and long sleeve shirt he was wearing. He changed into a white wife-beater tank and a pair of athletic shorts and tennis shoes. He grabbed his MP3 player off the nightstand next to his bed and put the earbuds in his ears.

Now that he was back at Stonecastle, he needed something to take his mind off of Ginny. He headed down to the "gym" that was on the first floor of the massive house that he grew up in. It was there that he was going to spend his time and bide his time until he went back to England. It was here that Jason and Tony found him two days later.

"Jay, I worried about him. I have never seen him throw himself into his workout before. I think making him come back here was wrong. He's been snappy towards the others and he wont eat or go out for his runs with the others. He's either in here or locked in his room." Tony told his Alpha. "I've warned the others to give him his space, but you know Nick, he wants to push things.

"Yeah Tony, you're right. Molly and Arthur said Alex was welcome to stay with them at the Burrow. Guess we should had let him stay." Jason said, turning to his childhood best friend. "Did you by chance pick up any scents when we were there?"

"If you mean did I smell his scent on her, yeah I did. She confirmed them being intimate too. She didn't want her brothers or parents to know though. So do you think that is why he is acting like this, because we have seperated him from his mate?"

Jason only nodded his head when a sound from the living room caught his attention. "Stay here and watch him." He told Tony as he made his way to the living room.

Tony turned his attention back to watching Alex as he now moved from the weight bench to the long kicking bag. He watched as Alex threw different combinations of kicks and punchs at the bag, trying to free himself from the hurt of being seperated from his new mate. The longer Tony watched Alex, the more he felt bad for the kid. He finally finds that "one" to be with and then he gets pulled away from her for two weeks. He was so focused watching Alex that he didn't hear Teri come up behind him.

"How's he doing?" she whispered, causing Tony to jump.

"About the same. He's been in here all day hitting the weights and the bags. He must be completely head over heels in love with this girl for him to shut everyone out." Tony said. "Hey I need you and Dalton to do something for me please. Have Nick lay off Alex. He won't listen to me and I'm his father. I'm afraid if he pushes Alex too hard about Ginny, Alex is going to seriously hurt him. Hell, as soon as we got here the other day, Nick smarted off to him and found himself getting thrown out of the second floor balcony. It took everything me and Jason had to hold Alex back."

Terri just laughed to herself. "So that's why Jason told him to go to the gym and workout. I heard Jason tell him that if he wanted something to hit, to go hit the bags or he would lock him down stairs in the cell for two weeks. By the time Dal and I got in, he was just entering the gym."

"Yeah that was why. Don't think Jason thought he would spend his entire time in here though." Tony said shaking his head. "Hey, what was the noise about in the living room?"

"Remus is here. I guess they having some problems at the Burrow with Ginny. Remus is trying to talk Jason into letting Alex go back to England, although I don't think he has to try very hard. I'm under the impression that Jason is feeling guilty about making Alex leave." Terri said, now watching her young Pack brother move to the Bowflex to start working out there.

"Stay here and keep an eye on him while I go see if there is any thing I can do to help with getting him back to England." Tony said as he turned to leave.

Teri gave Tony a brief nod and got her self settled in the door way of the gym, blocking any one who tried to bother Alex.

Tony walked into the living room Remus and Jason were discussing the problems they were faced with.

"What can I do to help get this kid back to young Miss Weasley?" Tony said right off. "He's hurting Remus. He's hurting bad. I have never seen anyone this upset about leaving a mate behind. I have the feeling that if we don't get him back to her soon, he is going to do one of two things. One, he is going to completely snap and seriously hurt someone causing Jay here to take action against him, or two, we are going to wake up one morning and he will be gone. Gone as in he took off without notice and is fighting his way back to her. I don't know about you Jay, but I would like to keep either of these from happening."

Jason looked at both of his long time friends and nodded in agreement. "John, I know I was wrong to make him leave. Can you get him back to her safely? Can you watch him while he is over there?"

Remus knew that when Jason called him by his middle name, he meant business. Jason cared a great deal for his Pack and he took his Alpha duties very seriously. If a decision that he made jepordized the Pack's well-being, he did everything he could to fix his mistake. This was one mistake that was hurting everyone because no one could stand to see Alex suffer. Even though Alex was the youngest member of the pack, he was clearly the heart and soul of it. If he was hurting, they all felt it.

"Dalton." Jason called, "bring Alex to me in my office please. I need to speak with him in private."

Remus and Tony looked at each other and smiled, Jason was sending him back to where he now belonged, with Ginny.

Jason had just poured him a drink when he heard the office door open then close.

"Dalton said you wanted to see me." Alex said in an out of breathe tone.

"Yes I did. Have a seat or stay standing, it doesn't matter. Listen Alex, we all know that you don't want to be here. You've quit eating and I knew that you have refused to go on runs and hunts with the others for the past few days. Since we got back, I've been trying to give you your space because I know you hate me right now."

"I don't hate you Jay." Alex said interupting Jason.

Jason put his hand up to quiet Alex. "Maybe hate isn't the right word, but I do know that you're not happy with me for making you leave her. I've thought it over and I have decided to let you return to England and spend your holiday with Ginny. Remus is here and he has brought me some upseting news. I guess that the Weasley's are having the same problem with Ginny as I have been having with you here. I've been told that she refuses to come out of her room and she refuses to eat. Miss. Granger has informed them that she wont sleep either. If she does, it is only because she has cried herself to sleep. No one there knows what to do for her."

"Remus is here to take you back. Go get cleaned up and changed and meet me back here." Jason started to stay. He didn't get to the last few words out before Alex has flung the office door open and was already sprinting up the stairs to his room to change.

A few minutes later, Alex had returned showered and fresh clothes on him. He dropped his bag that he had repacked and had it sitting by the door. He was dressed in his favorite pair of faded relax fitting Levis, a lightly pressed dark grey long sleeve shirt and his black lace-up military boots. He was finishing up getting his black leather belt in place when he reentered the office.

"Alright Jay, I back. What else did you want to say?" Alex said after he finished with his belt and sat down on the leather couch there in the office.

"Have you gotten Ginny anything for Christmas?" Jason asked him.

"I got her a necklace when we went to Hogsmeade for our weekend in the small town." Alex chuckled to himself. "It has a wolf on it howling at the moon. It was one of those things I couldn't resist. And before you say anything, yes she knows what I am and she is perfectly fine with it. I made her promise not to say a word to any one. I trust her Jay."

Jason nodded his head in approval and knew that if Ginny said she wasn't going to say anyting, then she wasn't talking to any one. If Alex trusted her, then so did he. "May I make another suggestion for a present for her?"

Alex nodded as Jason gestured towards the stack of paintings that he had finished the months before. As Alex started looking through the paintings, it didn't take him long to find the one he wanted for her. Jason had finished the collage painting of Alex. It was a mixture of Alex in human form and of him in his wolf form. He noticed that his wolf form never changed over the years but he watched himself grow up with the now finished painting.

He carefully pulled the painting from its protective sleeve and gently rolled it up and placed it in an art tube that he expanded so he could fit the custom sized leather frame for the painting in with the painting. As Alex was putting the end cap on the tube, there was a soft knock on the door. Teri slowly stuck her head in and looked over to Alex.

"Remus is ready to go when you are. He asked if I would come check on you."

"Yeah, I'm ready. I just had to get Ginny's present together." he said with a smile.

He crossed the room and picked his bag up from the floor and follwed Teri to the living room where everyone was now gathered. Remus stood by the fireplace and smiled when he saw Alex ready to go.

"Let's get you back to your girl shall we?" Remus said to him as Alex nodded.

"Alex, one last thing before you go. I know these past few days have

been hard on you and trust me when I say I don't want to have to go through that again with you." Jason said. "Molly and Arthur have agreed to take in you into their home, that way it won't be so hard on me on getting you back and forth to Hogwarts, WITH the exception that you do come here for a few days AFTER school term ends. It only for a couple of days and then you go right back. Remus has been so kind and got the house hooked up to the floo network and as of right now, the Burrow is the only placed you or any of us can go. If you need anything, call or send an owl to Remus. I will get your account at Gringotts set up and you will have access to your money there. You take care and keep in touch with us."

Alex stepped out of the floo and into the kitchen of the Burrow. As he dusted himself off, Remus went and let Mrs. Weasley know that Alex had arrived. She walked over to Alex with a smile on her face and arms open to give him a welcoming hug.

"Alex, dearie. So nice to have you here now. Remus has told us so much about you and so have the boys. They tell me that you are head over heels for my daughter and by that little display at the station, I would say so. I really hope with you here that Ginny will come out of this terrible mood she has been in." Mrs. Weasley said as she released him from her crushing hug.

"Mooney said she was pretty down when we parted a few days ago. I know how she feels. I'll do what I can but cann't make any promises. Mooney said just me being here should be enough. If I may, where is she?" Alex asked, with concern in his voice for his girlfriend.

Before Mrs. Weasley could answer, Hermione came down the stairs. She looked up just in time to see Alex turn and flash her one of his smiles that always drove the girls crazy.

"Alex! You're here! When? How?" Hermione said.

"I just got here and Mooney brought me. He said something about Ginny being depressed and locked in her room. Thought I would come see if I could get her to come out." Alex said as he hugged his friend.

"Up the stairs, second landing, door on the right. Knock before you go in, or you're liable to get hexed." Hermione told him as he started up the stairs.

When he reached Ginny bedroom door, he took a deep breath and knocked gently on the door. From the other side, he heard a muffled "Go away," and slowly opened the door. He braced himself for the hexing he thought he was going to recieve. When none came, he stuck his head around the door and what he saw tore at his heart.

There sitting on the window ledge was Ginny. She looked frail and weak from not eating, the evidence sitting on the desk untouched. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs to hold them there. She was slowly rocking back and forth, and he could hear her sniffling from crying.

Alex rushed to her side and wrapped his arms around her, causing her to jump and scream from being startled. He buried his face into her hair and pulled her into his lap.

"Ginny, talk to me please." he whispered to her softly.

She slowly raised her head and buried her face into the side of Alex's neck sobbing. She released her arms from her legs and wrapped them tightly around his neck. Alex pulled her even closer and rocked her gently.

After sitting there in her window and rocking her gently, Alex heard her crying subside and her breathing slowed down a great deal. He chanced a look and he had to laugh to himself quietly, Ginny had fallen asleep to his rocking motion.

He carefully stood up holding her and crossed her room to her bed. With a small flick of his wrist, he drew back her blankets and laid her down in her bed. He had to carefully pry her arms off around his neck and covered her up with her blanket when he was finally able to get free.

He quietly crossed the room and pulled the door all the way open. He then turned back around and conjured a rocking chair for him to sit in. After he got himself comfortable, he conjured a light blanket and slowly started to rock back and forth. Before he knew it, Alex had fallen asleep in the chair while watching Ginny sleep.

Hermione carried yet another tray up to Ginny's room, but this tray had twice the food on it. This tray was for Alex and Ginny both. Mrs. Weasley, after learning from Remus that Alex hadn't eaten anything in the past few days as well, fixed up a tray for the two teenagers and sent it up with Hermione. Hermione was the only one who could ever get into Ginny's room without her friend trying to hex her at every move. When she reached Ginny's room, the first thing she noticed was the door was wide open.

As she approached the door, she cautiously looked around the corner and almost dropped the tray. Ginny was tucked into her bed and Alex was asleep in a rocking chair he conjured next to her.

_Well at least she is not crying herself to sleep tonight. By the look on Alex's shirt, I'd say she did her crying into his chest. At least now, maybe they can get back to their normal selves. Remus said that Alex was having a hard time being away as well. I cann't wake them if they are asleep now. Merlin knows that neither of them slept much the past few days. _Hermione thought as she turned and headed back down to the kitchen with the food tray.

As Hermione sat the tray on the countertop, Mrs. Weasley threw a fit.

"OH NO! Those two WILL eat some dinner. They've gone long enough without food. You march right back up there and leave that tray with them. On second thought. I will take the tray to them."

She picked up the tray and marched straight up the stairs to Ginny's room to give her daughter and Alex a piece of her mind. She stopped dead in her tracks when she entered Ginny's room and saw both of them fast asleep, Alex in the rocking chair and Ginny tucked in her bed. Seeing that, her heart broke and she just couldn't bring herself to waking them up and making them eat. She quietly turned and moved back out the door. But before she left, she placed a silencing charm around the room. This way, they could sleep in peace and not be distrubed.

"Couldn't wake them up could you, Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked with a knowing smirk on her face.

"It was just that they looked so peaceful sleeping and I just didn't want to distrub that. Let them rest, we all know that they need it." Mrs. Weasley said as she took her seat at the kitchen table for dinner. The dinner sat on the counter with an extended warming charm placed on it.

Alex slowly began to wake. He didn't intend on falling asleep in the rocking chair but ended up doing so. Some time in the night, someone came in and covered him with a blanket. He slowy turned his head towards Ginny's bed and found her still asleep. He slowly stood and stretched out the stiff muscles from sleeping in the chair and made his way to her bed in the few steps it took to get there.

He sat down carefully on the edge of the bed and lightly moved a few strands of her hair so he could see her face more clearly. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her temple, taking in her scent once again. He missed the scent of her hair most of all the past few days. The smell of her hair was one of his favorite scents of her.

As he slowly drew back, Ginny started to stir slowly. She blinked her eyes a few times, letting them adjust to the sunlight streaming into her bedroom. When she realized who was sitting on her bed, she sat straight up and wrapped not only her arms but her legs around Alex and began to kiss him all over.

Alex had to brace himself when Ginny launched herself at him. He pulled her closer to him and held her tightly as he leaned back and propped himself up on her bed with his back to the wall. He placed both hands on Ginny's face and pulled her into a deep kiss as her hands found their way into his hair. He released his hold on her face and let his hands roam her body as they moved down her sides and back. His hands found their way to her waist and he felt her press her body into him even more.

His body came alive as Ginny ran her hands under his shirt and along his bare chest. She withdrew her hands and started to pop the buttons on his shirt to get it out of the way. As Ginny leaned down to place some kisses on his chest, a clearing of the throat made them both jump.

"Either wait until I'm out of the room or go find another empty room before you to start that." Hermione said with a laugh. "As happy as I am that the two of you are together, I really don't want to watch you to have sex. Besides Ginny, doesn't your mum have certain charms in place to let her know if anyone in the house has sex?"

Ginny let out a groan and pulled away from Alex. "Thanks 'Mione, I just about forgot about mum's charms she has in place. She did it to keep track of Bill and Charlie and to keep them honest. "Sorry love, as bad as I want you, not in the house though."

Alex just laughed and waved a hand over his shirt, fixing it to where it was no longer missing buttons. "No worries Gin." As he leaned in for another kiss, the smell of food caught him in the nose and he sniffed the sir for more. "Please tell me that your mom is an excellent cook."

He grabbed her by the hand and lead her and Hermione to the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley had Christmas breakfast cooking. She turned and looked at the three newcomers and rushed over to hug Alex and Ginny.

"Finally decided to come out of your room did ya?" Bill Weasley said, teasing his baby sister which caused all the occupants at the table to laugh.

"That's enough boys. Leave your sister be. Merlin knows it hasn't been easy for her to be away Alex." Mr. Weasley said, trying to hide the laugh by trying to hide behind his coffee mug.

Alex and Ginny were shown their seats at the table while Molly placed two very filled plates in front of them with the orders to eat. Alex gave Ginny a quick side ways glance before he dug into his food. Hermione, who was sitting across from Alex and next to Ron, let out a sound of disgust.

"One, I don't know who is worse, Alex or Ron when it comes to shoveling food into their mouths whole. Two, you two do realize it does help to CHEW your food before swallowing. Three, no one here in their right mind would try to take your food or plates away from either of you, so stop guarding it with your lives. And four, this is not a contest guys, slow down and actually enjoy Mrs. Weasley's cooking."

Everyone at the table broke out in a laugh at the sight of Alex and Ron frozen in place with their forks suspended in mid air at Hermione's comment.

Alex cleared his mouth from all the food before he spoke, "sorry about that Hermione. Forgot that I'm not at Stonecastle and having to fight my brothers off from my food. Nick and Dalton have a game to see who can swipe the food off my plate before I can get it all ate. Hard to change habits just like that you know."

The rest of breakfast passed quickly and everyone made their way to the sitting room where the tree and presents were piled high. Alex sat in the floor in front of the couch and pulled Ginny down into his lap as everyone laughed at the look on her face.

"Alex!" she yelped as she landed in his lap.

"What?" he responded as he kissed her lips in front of everyone.

"OI! Get a room you two." George and Fred said at the same time.

Before Alex could answer, Mrs. Weasley shot a glare in the twin's direction which caused all the boys to cringe. Judging by the reaction, Alex found it best to keep quiet and slid Ginny off his lap and into the floor next to him.

"Mum, since this is Alex's first Christmas with us, why don't we let him open the first gift?" Ginny asked.

"What a wonderful idea. Yes, yes, Alex you get to open the first gift." Molly said as she handed him a present with him name on it from her. He carefully unwrapped his gift and held up the most beautiful hand knitted sweater he had ever since. It was a royal blue in color with greyish-silver mixed with it. On the front, in the middle was a big greyish-silver 'A'.

"Oh wow!" Alex said as he ran his fingers over the sweater. "This is great Mrs. Weasley, thank you. The 'A' I take it stands for "Alex" right?"

"Yes dearie it does. Since now that you have become family, it's mum and dad to you, understand?" Mrs. Weasley said to him.

"Yes mum, I understand fully." Alex said as he blushed a deep red. The only ones he had considered family was Jason and the Pack. He never thought that he would have a "family" outside the Pack but it was quite clear now that he did.

Alex unbuttoned his shirt and removed it and pulled his new sweater over his head and proudly displayed his sweater. He was taken back how warm and soft if felt against his arms and body. He looked up to see tears starting to glisten in Molly's eyes so he stood up and crossed the sitting room and embraced the woman he now considered his adopted mom. He gave her a hug that only moms can get from her sons.

"Thank you so much." he whispered in her ear. He placed a warm gentle kiss on her head and went and rejoined Ginny by the couch. On his way back to Ginny, he noticed his bag and the portait tube by couch. He grabbed both as he went to sit down.

After he got settled, he opened his bag and pulled out the flat box that he had wrapped for Ginny. He saw her eyes light up out of the corner of his eye and he handed her the present.

"You can thank Hermione for it as well." Alex told her as she unwrapped the gift. "I picked it out when we went to Hogsmeade back in October. I had Hermione distract you so I could get it for you."

"Oh my Alex. This is beautiful. Thank you." Ginny said with tears in her eyes.

Alex had found a beautiful gold chain necklace that was in the form of a celtic knot. The trinket that was on it was a wolf howling at the moon from cliffside. Every few seconds, the wolf would tilt his head back and mimick a howl. He had managed to find the matching earrings to go with the trinket, so all three wolves howled in unision.

Ginny held the box up so everyone could see the wonderful present from Alex. After the many oohs and ahhs, presents were handed out and opened. After the last gift was unwrapped, Alex stood up in the center of the room and holding the portait tube in his hand.

"I didn't really get a chance to wrap this one and I wanted to save this one for last." Alex said. "I had alot of help with this one and I can say that you will never find another one like it any where. Jason has worked on this since I was about five years old. It is kinda like my life story in picture form and I want you Ginny to have it."

Ginny stood up and joined Alex in the middle of the room. He handed her the portait tube and took the cap off the end to reveal a rolled up painting inside. Ginny carefully pulled the painting out and slowly unrolled it to where only she could see it. Alex gently took the top corners as Ginny slowly unrolled the painting of Alex. Ginny was simply amazed at the detail that Jason had put into the painting.

Starting in the top left corner of the painting, was a young dark haired boy about the age of five. He was sitting on what looked to be a rock wall and a massive greyish-black wolf was off to his right. Underneath the boy's feet was a ribbon with Alex's age on it. She literally got to see Alex grow up in the painting. Jason had worked on it for close to ten years and had manged to catch the very heart and soul of Alex with the work.

In the center, was the teenage Alex. Of all the different poses that Jason had got of Alex, the center pose was by far her favorite. Alex was standing with his hands stuffed in his pockets of his jeans, bare footed and bare chested. His hair was the clean cut blonde that it was now. He had his head tilted down but staring right at the painter with a big mischievous grin across his face, daring you to take your eyes off of him for one second. His bare feet were at shoulder's width apart and were in his famous fighting stance.

"Let go of the bottom for a minute Gin." Alex asked.

Ginny let go of the bottom of the painting and Alex carefully laid the painting down, painting side facing the floor. He reached over and tipped the tube over and the frame pieces fell out. He assemblied the leather frame around the back side of the painting and waved his hand over it. All of the pieces forged together and the edges of the painting self glued itself to the frame. Once the work was done, Alex carefully picked the painting up and handed it to Ginny.

Ginny turned the painting around so all could see the wonderful job that Jason did.

"Mate is it me or do you have a fetish for your wolf? It seems like by every picture of you, there is the same wolf." Charlie asked as he looked at the painting's detail.

"Umm, that was a wolf that has been on the property since I have been there. It kinda adpoted me. Everywhere I go, he goes, well except for here. He was so happy to see me the other day. Jason tried to get him to move but as you can see, he wanted his picture painted as well." Alex said, trying his best to explain why his wolf form was all over the painting as well.

"Alex I think it's great. You should tell Jason thank you for me. He did a wonderful job on you and on this." Ginny said, still not taking her eyes off the center picture of Alex.

"You're quite welcome Ginny. I was going to give it to Alex when he came home, but as you can see, he chose to give it to you instead. of all the paintings I have done of Alex, he gives you the one I just finished." Jason said, stepping into the sitting room with Remus and Tonks. "Molly. Arthur. I am sorry for being late. Had an issue come up at the last minute that needed to be tended to."

"Jay? What are you doing here?" Alex said in a shocked voice.

"Well I realized that you weren't going to be home this year for Christmas and therefore you wouldn't be able to get ur gifts. Talked it over with Molly and Arthur last night while you were asleep and they invited me over for today. Remus and Tonks showed up on time but I was trying to tend to your brother and Teri. Guess Dalton decided now was going to be the perfect time to screw up and start a massive fight with her. Just spent nearly three hours trying to keep Teri from killing Dalton. Whatever he did, it was bad enough for her to pack up and leave again."

"Will this affect how things get done now?" Alex asked, dreading the answer that was possibly coming. He didn't want to have to go back to Stonecastle to pick up Dalton's slack because he and Teri were fighting, again.

"Don't worry Alex. There is no need for you to rush back. Things will be back to normal soon. " Jason said, noting the panick in the young man's eyes. "Besides, I wanted to bring you your gifts from everyone."

Jason walked over and set down the box that he had been holding. Alex sat down and pulled the box to him and started to open them one by one. When he reached the bottom, Jason rushed over and placed his hand on it, stopping Alex from opening it. He whispered into Alex's ear and Alex only nodded. He knew that this one present had to be opened in private and away from prying eyes. He put his new clothes and books ontop of the one unwrapped gift. He was given some paintings done by Jason but his were with all of the Pack as a group shot. There were a couple of single paintings that were just of Alex.

Alex took his stuff up to his room that Molly had told him was his for when he stayed at the Burrow. He was given Percy Weasley's old room, since Percy had found it too much a hassle to have anything to do with his family. Bill and Charlie had spent the entire day before moving all of Percy's stuff out to the storage shed. The walls and bed had been stripped down and redecorated to fit Alex.

With a wave of his hand, all of his stuff was neatly put away. The numerous books he had gotten were placed neatly on the bookshelf that was left for Alex's use. Once he was satified with how his room looked, he unwrapped his personal copy of the Pack's guidebook, the Legend. Jason had Remus and Tonks make a duplicate copy of the original book and gave the copy to Alex for Christmas. The Legend dated the Pack's history back a few centuries and told of all the Pack's most kept secrets.

Even though Alex knew the Legend by heart, he settled down on his bed and opened the old book up to read the history once more.


End file.
